FAISALABAD, Sept 20: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Wednesday announced a Rs11 billion development package for the district.

He was addressing the Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) members at Sahianwala and the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FCCI) and the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association here on Wednesday.

The chief minister said the government was keen to improve the life standard of the masses.

The package included the projects of Faisalabad ring road, improvement of Sargodha Road, Millat Road, Canal Road, disposal of solid waste, golf club, family club, country club, restaurants, improvement of Kaleem Shaheed and Gatwala Park, etc.

Elaborating the measures taken for the progress of the education, Mr Elahi said two technical universities were being established in collaboration with the German and Sweden governments.

He said the three-lane Sialkot-Lahore motorway being built at a cost of millions of rupees would reduce the distance between the two cities to 45 minutes.

Highlighting the present regime’s steps for industrialisation, Mr Elahi said industrial estates being established in different cities would create thousands of jobs, provide residential facilities, social security hospitals, technical institutions, industrial homes, girls and boys schools, etc. On the other hand an industrial estate on 2,000 acres was being set up in the Multan while 99 per cent land of Sundar Industrial Estate Lahore had been sold out.

He said efforts were being made to complete the Faisalabad Industrial Estate project before the stipulated time, which would be inaugurated by President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Textile Minister Mushtaq Ali Cheema, Communication and Works Minister Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, city district nazim Rana Zahid Tausif and prominent industrialists and exporters were also present in the ceremonies.

The chief minister also inaugurated the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan auditorium and Madina teaching hospital on Sargodha Road.

Earlier, he laid the foundation stone of new building of the chamber and announced a grant of Rs10 million for the project.

Industrialists also apprised him of the problems being faced by them.