DADU, Jan 4: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday announced a Rs100 million development package for the district of Dadu.

Addressing a public meeting at the Betto Jatoi village, he said work on Rs140 billion mega-projects, including the Right Bank Out fall Drain, Left Bank Out fall Drain and the repair of the Sukkur Barrage, was in progress.

About the recovery of Zarai Taraqiati Bank loans from farmers, he said defaulters would not be arrested and directed deal with people in a humane and respectable manner in recovering loans.

The prime minister said that owing to the fertilizer shortage in the country a huge quantity of urea had been imported and added that pesticides and DAP would also be provided to growers. He expressed the hope that the water situation would improve following recent rains.

He further said that Rs12 billion would be spent on roads, schools, hospitals and water supply schemes in remote areas. The Sukkur Barrage, he said, was the lifeline of Sindh's irrigation system and added that the federal government had provided 80 per cent of the funds needed to carry out the repair of the barrage.

Mr Aziz said he would visit all parts of the country and announce development packages for areas according to their requirements. Referring to the forthcoming local bodies elections, he asked people to elect candidates who could serve them and work for the betterment of their areas.

In his speech, Federal Water and Power Minister Liaquat Ali Khan Jatoi said that the opposition should respect President Pervez Musharraf's decision to retain his army post, particularly after the parliament had passed a bill on the issue.

He said the Gwadar port would be opened next month and an agreement on the Thar coal would be signed within two months. Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim announced that Dadu and Thatta sugar mills would be made operational next season and said the government would extend support to it if any party showed interest to re-start these mills.