BAHAWALPUR, April 24: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has said that his government is making efforts to provide basic necessities of life to the people of rural areas to remove their sense of deprivation.

He was speaking at a gathering of Nazimeen, Naib Nazimeen, councillors and women councillors belonging to Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahimyar Khan at the Bahawalpur Stadium on Wednesday.

The president said that the government was making efforts to make Pakistan strong and prosperous. He said remote areas of the province would be brought at par with that of developed areas.

The president stressed the need for cohesion among all the four provinces and federation and said every effort would be made to remove sense of deprivation of the people of southern Punjab.

Referring to the issue of water crisis, Gen Musharraf said despite shortage of water all provisions of life, including supply of drinking water, would be provided to rural population.

He said his government was giving top priority to four issues; improvement of economy, good governance, poverty alleviation and restructuring of political system.

In this connection, the president referred to Zakat system, under which Rs3 billion would be distributed in Punjab during current year, and the facility of loan from Khushhal bank. He said that the ADBP would advance Rs10 billion during the next three months to small farmers.

Gen Musharraf informed the gathering that in order to revive economy, it had been decided that the strategy for the agriculture sector would be changed under which the entire irrigation system was being improved.

He said to achieve desired results, Kalabagh Dam would be constructed in addition to the construction of Bhasha and Skardu dams.

The president said that the height of Mangla Dam was also being raised by 40 feet, which would provide additional water to the areas of Bahawalpur. He said all existing headworks would be remodelled.

The president assured the local body representatives that funds would be provided for the improvement of roads in Hasilpur, Bahawalpur, Fort Abbas, Marot and Ahmedpur East and for water and drainage schemes of Bahawalpur and Rahimyar Khan. He said Mithan Kote bridge would be constructed.