RAWALPINDI, March 7: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Sunday unveiled a development package for Rawalpindi. Speaking at a rally in Dhoke Syedan, Mr Elahi said record development would be undertaken in the area in the near future.

The focus of his package was on improvement in the education sector. The chief minister laid the foundation stone of a college each for girls and boys in Dhoke Syedan. Besides, he announced setting up of a boys degree college each in Sadiqabad, Chakbeli Khan and on Peshawar Road and a primary school in Dhoke Syedan. Various boys and girls secondary schools will be upgraded to higher secondary level, he added.

The chief minister ordered the setting up of an information technology college for girls in Kohati Bazaar. This institution will be set up in a building owned by the Tehsil Municipal Administration where at present a marriage hall is being run.

He directed the education department to prepare a feasibility report for the establishment of a university in the city. He permitted recruitment of 600 teachers against the existing vacancies in government schools.

Responding to the demands of the people, Mr Elahi ordered the provision of Sui gas to the areas located on the outskirts of the city that lacked this facility. These areas include Chakbeli Khan, Girja, Jabbi, Jorian, Chak Jalaldin and the neighbouring areas.

On the issue of water shortage, particularly in the cantonment areas, the chief minister announced a grant of Rs50 million for initiating water supply projects for civilian population areas of the cantonment.

In the rest of the district, he said, funds would be released for the rehabilitation of dysfunctional water supply schemes. He also directed setting up of filtration plants in the city for providing clean drinking water to the population.

Mr Elahi said Rs300 million would be spent on the construction of an underpass at Committee Chowk to improve traffic flow in the city. The construction work on the underpass would begin next month.

After the completion of Committee Chowk underpass, he said, several other underpasses would be constructed on major crossings in the city. Among other steps for streamlining traffic, he said, Nespak had been ordered to undertake a feasibility study for the construction of ring road.

Announcing improvement measures for jail, he said an additional ward for women would be constructed in front of Adiala Jail. Besides, a vocational centre would be established for women and children in the jail, so that they could lead a useful life after their release.

Mr Elahi announced a separate package of Rs300 million for Rawalpindi Tehsil Municipal Administration. On the request of the people of Kallar Syedan, he announced the upgradation of Kallar Syedan to the status of a Tehsil. Better recreational and sporting facilities was also part of the package.

He announced the setting up of a hockey stadium adjacent to Shamsabad Cricket Stadium, a mini-stadium in Dhaman Syedan and completion of Kallar Syedan's Stadium.