PESHAWAR, Oct 10: Federal Minister for Political Affairs Engr Amir Muqam has said that the government is vigorously pursuing its welfare agenda to bring about positive changes in the socio-economic condition of the masses.

Presiding over a meeting of senior officials of the SNGPL at the Wapda House here on Tuesday, the minister, who is also in-charge of the federal departments in the NWFP, said the mega development projects initiated by the government would certainly benefit the common man as it would help alleviate poverty and generate employment opportunities.

On the occasion, General Manager SNGPL Imdad Hussain presented a brief resume of the activities of his department in the NWFP.

The minister said in gas sector alone, Rs.2 billion projects were under way in southern parts of the NWFP. The project will also cover the remote villages.

Earlier, chairing a meeting of the Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technology (PCRET), the minister stressed the need for small hydel power stations in the province to tap its potential to the optimum level for the benefit of the common man.

The government was not oblivious of its responsibilities to meet the energy needs of commercial and domestic consumers at reasonable rates, he said.

At another meeting, the minister urged Pesco officials to ensure provision of quality material for the ongoing power projects in the mountainous districts of Batagram, Kohistan, Mansehra and Malakand Agency, plain areas of Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi and Peshawar as well as parts of southern districts.

He said he would come down hard on elements found involved in supply of sub-standard material and inordinate delay in completion of the projects.