LAHORE, March 9: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said here on Tuesday that no talented student would be deprived of medical, engineering or other professional education because of want of resources which the government would provide to them adequately.

He was speaking at a function at the Fatima Jinnah Medical College in which 150 girl students of rural areas were given scholarships. The chief minister said the per annum amount of scholarships for medical and other professional education had been increased to Rs12,000 for a day scholar and Rs18,000 for a boarder. It would help reduce financial burden on their parents, he said.

He announced construction of a new hostel for doctors in the college and an increase of Rs400,000 in the scholarship fund for students. The chief minister directed the officials concerned to provide Rs3 million to the college from the Board of Revenue's Endowment Fund for Rural Education.

Earlier, Mr Elahi told teachers and administration of the college the government was providing ample resources to medical colleges and hospitals for purchasing necessary equipment and other facilities. These funds should be utilized in a transparent manner, he added.

The chief minister said it was the duty of the heads of medical institutions and hospitals to improve the quality of education and provide better healthcare to the patients. These two factors would be the basis of the evaluation of their performance, he said.

Board of Revenue senior member Ziaur Rehman said during the current year scholarships worth Rs28.5 million were being given to 1,900 students of 14 professional educational institutions through the Endowment Fund.

Later, the chief minister told reporters that there was no flour crisis in the province. Steps had been taken to improve its supply in the troubled areas, he said.

He said his inspection team was conducting an inquiry into the Phalia sectarian violence and responsibility would be fixed after submission of a report by it.

He said free medical cover would be provided in emergency wards of 11 teaching hospitals. It would be extended to all district headquarter hospitals afterwards.

Doctors working in emergency wards would be given 50 per cent extra salary, he said. He parried a question about the posting of a new IGP in the Punjab.

Spanish team: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi gave on Tuesday night a reception to a delegation from Spain which was led by Spanish Ambassador to Pakistan Antonio Segura Moris.