FAISALABAD, July 16: District Nazim Zahid Nazir has claimed that a comprehensive 'Khushal Faisalabad Programme' has been launched in the district to improve the standard of living.

Talking to newsmen on Friday, he said the local government was determined to alleviate poverty and it had formulated a 'sound' financial policy. For strengthening the supervisory role of the district council members regarding development schemes and for the financial execution of the annual development programme, it had been made mandatory that the executing agencies completed procedural formalities (by seeking technical sanction/administrative approval from the competent authorities).

The approved schemes would be incorporated in the ADP/Khushal Faisalabad Programme for the council's approval, he added. He said Rs317.15 million had been earmarked for drainage and Rs82.1 million for urban drainage schemes, and Rs91.4 million for urban sewerage and water supply schemes.

He said Rs165 million would be spent on the construction of roads in urban areas, Rs29 million on the provision of electricity and Rs314 million on Sui gas facilities.

As many as 1,637 development schemes of education, health, agriculture, livestock, water supply, sanitation, roads and bridges, pavements, women empowerment, literacy, and electrification of slums had finally been approved for six tehsils.

The district government had earmarked Rs3.46 billion for the ongoing development expenditure while an amount of Rs1.67 billion had been allocated for development in the district.

A sum of Rs949.2 million had been allocated for new development schemes while Rs302 million had been earmarked for ongoing projects. An allocation of Rs419.1 million had been made for completion of development projects under the Citizens Community Boards.