KARACHI, Jan 15: Chief Minister Sindh Sardar Ali Muhammad Khan Mahar said on Wednesday that Rs1 billion were being spent on the development schemes under the fourth phase of the Khushhal Pakistan Program in the province.

He was presiding over a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister’s House. Provincial Revenue Minister Altaf Hussain Unar, Chief Secretary K.B.Rind, principal secretary to the chief minister and secretaries of the concerned departments attended the meeting.

The chief minister directed the officials to ensure that the funds were spent by June 30 at any cost. He urged elected representatives to constantly monitor the pace of work.

The secretary local government informed the meeting that seven thousand development schemes had been completed during the last three years under the KPP. The secretary health told the meeting that two dialysis machines at the cost of Rs1.3 million were being installed at every district hospital. He said the machines had already been installed in seven districts and the rest would be getting them soon. Briefing the meeting on financial matters, the secretary finance said that Sindh had cleared its debt of Rs11 billion.

The chief secretary said that girl students of class 6th to 8th were being paid Rs100 per month as stipend to encourage them. The chief minister stressed that elected representatives should ensure that girls were paid the amount.

The meeting decided to reactivate the Sindh cooperative bank from July 2003. It has remained inoperative since 1989 and growers have been facing hardships for the last thirteen years as they could not get any financial assistance from the bank.

The chief minister also directed that all schemes relating to road, water and electricity to be carried to the Gorakh hill station be given preference so as to develop the area as a recreational and tourism spot.—PPI