DADU, Jan 24: Federal Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Jatoi has said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has approved a grant of Rs150 million for development projects in the district during the current financial year.

He said that primary schools, water supply schemes and hospitals would be built and electricity and gas connections provided to the villages in far-flung areas of the district under this special package.

The minister was speaking at a public gathering in Basheer Ahmed Channa village near here on Monday. He said that 100 villages had been provided electricity in the remote areas of the district and a survey of 350 villages had been completed, adding that gas connections had been provided to 36 villages.

He said that he had visited tail-ends of the Dadu and Rice canals and held meeting with the irrigation officers to ensure judicious distribution of water. He said that weak embankments of canals and waterways would be repaired. Among others, MPAs Dr Manzoor Leghari, Ehsan Jatoi and Sadaqat Jatoi also spoke on the occasion.

NOTICES ISSUED: The district and sessions judge has issued notices to four police officials of the Bhan Syedabad police station for torturing a villager.