KARACHI, June 15: Terming the new Sindh budget for the year 2006-07 as people friendly, the Chief Minister, Arbab Ghulam Rahim, said the government was working to lay a network of cattle colonies in every district for increasing the production of meat and milk in Sindh.

The chief minister, who was addressing a crowded press conference soon after the presentation of the new budget in the Sindh Assembly on Thursday, said that million of litres of milk would be produced in every district.

For its marketing, milk-chilling and processing plants would be installed and the transport system would be improved, he added.

He said that today’s budget was the first tax-free and surplus budget after many years in the province in which development projects had been funded from the province’s own resources.

In response to a question, Arbab said that enough funds had been allocated for law and order.

Besides, the police had killed many dacoits in the interior of Sindh and many others who were operating in Karachi were checked and were netted. However, he said that crimes could not remain until the world existed.

Regarding recruitment of over 45,000 jobs in the province, he said that from July, youths would get employment on the basis of merit.

He said there was no quota for political parties but the rules for urban and rural areas still exited.

When asked if the scheme for introduction of rationing was being worked out to check profiteering, the chief minister said that the proposal was shelved for the time being to see the scheme of franchising utility stores to general stores while new utility stores would be opened at the UC and tehsil levels.

Besides, magisterial powers would be conferred on officials to check profiteering by traders, he said.

He said that general elections would be held in 2008. However, he said, that politicians must keep in mind that elections meant accountability and they must be prepared for that.The chief minister also highlighted increased development allocations for different sectors in the new budget including for education, health, roads, water reservoirs sectors, etc.