KARACHI, July 24: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said that his government has decided to lift the ban on recruitment forthwith to alleviate poverty in the province.

Chairing a high-level meeting at the CM’s House here on Monday, he noted that record development work was carried out in the province over the past two years, whereas Rs32 billion more would be spent under this head during the current financial year.

Reviewing the development work during 2006-07, the chief minister issued strict directive for timely completion of all uplift schemes, and said a system of check and balance be devised in this regard.Dr Arbab said that President Musharraf was keenly interested in developing Sindh, and because of his personal attention, steps were being taken to improve quality of life in cities and villages.

He pointed out that Sindh, which used to be run on overdraft in the past, had now achieved financial autarky after retiring all federal debts. Besides, he added, the province was keeping abundant money in its kitty.

In 1999, he recalled, the province was being administered on an overdraft of Rs6billion to Rs7 billion, “but the situation at this stage is quite different for which credit certainly goes to the president.”

He said that education sector was being paid special attention and this year, 1,200 new primary schools would be opened whereas condition of the existing 43,000 schools would be improved. An English-medium school would also be opened in every tehsil, he added. He made mention of the opening of a new medical college and an IBM institute in Mirpurkhas.

About irrigation system, the chief minister said canals were being de-silted to ensure availability of water to tail-end growers.

Chief Secretary Fazlur Rehman told the meeting that all development schemes were being monitored to ensure their timely completion.

The meeting was attended by additional chief secretary P&D, senior member BoR, secretaries of finance, home, works & services, irrigation, education, fisheries & livestock, minerals, and agriculture departments, besides other senior officials.—APP