MIANWALI, Jan 5: The present government has buried the politics of confrontation and victimization and set new trends in the politics by promoting fraternity and tolerance.

This was stated by Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi while speaking at a public gathering at Sikandarabad Sports Stadium, Mianwali, on Sunday.

He said the small industrial estate would be set up in the Mianwali district to eliminate unemployment and promote industrial development.

Our democratic dispensation had taken revolutionary steps for the masses, he said and added that the decision of free education up to secondary level would help achieve 100 per cent literacy rate in the province.

All out steps, he said, would be taken to ensure the provision of water supply to the tail ends.

Around 600mw water plants would be installed on canals which could generate cheap electricity for the farmers. He said funds for the Paikhel Lift Irrigation Scheme would soon be provided while the project of bricklining water courses with an expenditure of Rs1.75 billion had been started, he said.

The CM announced the establishment of Sikandarabad Girls College, Bin Hafiz Ji Boys Degree College and grant of Rs1 million each for union councils of the Mianwali district. He assured that the salaries of daily wage employees of the Public Health Engineering would soon be released.

Mr Elahi directed the district government to provide funds for an early initiation of Bani Afghana Water Supply Scheme. He said the welfare-oriented projects would be completed within two years

The chief minister said the progress of development schemes would be reviewed every year. He reiterated that the government would take effective measures to strengthen the agriculture sector by uplifting the socio-economic condition of the farmers.

The decision of reducing mark-up from 13 per cent to 9 per cent on loans for the purchase of agriculture inputs would help bring green revolution in the province. He declared that 1-R and 2-R canals would be converted into perennial canals.

The P&D Department, he said, had been directed to evolve projects which could bring prompt relief for the common man besides alleviating poverty. A comprehensive planning would be evolved to extend the network of small scale industries to provide job opportunities to the young generation, he said.

Earlier, the chief minister also spoke at the oath-taking ceremony of the District Press Club and Union of Journalists.

He said the press was an important pillar of the democratic polity with having the capacity to provide guidelines to politicians.

Provincial Revenue Minister Gul Hamid Rokhari, Mianwali District Nazim Humair Hayat Khan Rokhari, and MPAs and MNAs of the area were also present on the occasion.

The chief minister said that journalists were an integral part of the democratic dispensation. For the promotion of press, he said the government was providing financial assistance to various districts of press clubs in the province.

The press, he said, had played a vital role in pinpointing the flaws in official machinery and guiding them towards rightful direction. Journalists should discharge their professional duties with due care and responsibility, he advised.

Administering oath to the newly-elected members of the local district Press club, Mr Elahi announced Rs200,00 grant for the construction of the press library. Besides, a cheque of Rs100,000 was given on behalf of the district government to Anjuman-i-Sahafian president Muhammad Sher Khan and former press club chairman Khawaja Sikandar Hayat.

Later, representatives of labour union, Maple Leaf Cement Factory, called on the chief minister and apprised him of the problems of sick industrial units. The chief minister said the provision of basic rights to the working class was the corner stone of the government policy.