RAWALPINDI, April 13: The Punjab chief minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said concrete steps are being taken for the uplift and development of districts of Potohar region. He expressed these views while presiding over a meeting of MNAs hailing from Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Jhelum and Attock.

He said a comprehensive programme was being implemented to construct mini-dams, link-dams and water reservoirs to enhance drinking and irrigation water resources in these districts. He said the government had provided all essential resources to police and it should now effectively control crimes by showing positive output in letter and spirit.

The chief minister disclosed that construction of three mini dams in Attock and two each in Chakwal and Jhelum had been started, whereas five mini dams in each Potohar districts would be completed as per programme. He said old water supply schemes would also be rehabilitated besides initiation of new schemes to increase drinking water facilities for the people of area.

He said the government would spend Rs18 billion for the promotion of education in the province within next three years and Rs6 billion would be provided in each year. He added that Rs150 million had been provided in all 34 districts of the province to provide facilities in the schools.

He said free textbooks at primary level were being provided in the province in government schools for the first time in the history of the country and a stipend of Rs200 would be provided to each girl student in 15 districts of Southern Punjab with a view to enhance literacy rate.

The chief minister said in all districts of the province, purchase centres had also been established to procure wheat from farmers to ensure fixed price of their crop to them.

He said honest and persons with good reputation would be selected as chairmen of Bait-ul-Maal, Zakat and Ushr committees who are not kith and kins to any MNA or MPA so that the deserving should be the beneficiaries of Zakat.

He called upon the MNAs to coordinately work for reorganization of the PML in their respective constituencies and districts. The MNAs on this occasion also presented various proposals regarding uplift schemes and problem relating to their areas. MNAs Malik Allah Yar Khan, Malik Amin Aslam, Sardar Faiz Taman, Chaudhry Shahbaz and Ghulam Sarwar Khan were also present in the meeting. -APP