KARACHI, July 18: The provincial minister for Labour and Industries, Muhammad Adil Siddiqui, said the government was making all-out efforts to facilitate workers and their dependents as its fist preference.

He was speaking at a farewell dinner arranged by SESSI Administration and SESSI United Staff Union (CBA) in honour of ex-commissioner SESSI and present secretary Labour, Transport, Industries and Commerce Nasar Hayat.

The chief guest said, "There is complete peace in all industrial areas of the province and this thing is attracting the attention of investors to establish new industries."

The minister appreciated the services of Nasar Hayat as commissioner SESSI, and said he had always achieved budgetary targets. He said that social security contribution, which was Rs498 million in 2001-02, reached Rs700 million in 2003-04, showing improvement in the institution's working. He further said that from 2001 to 2004, 67,000 new workers were registered under the social security scheme. -APP