SUKKUR, Jan 17: Sindh Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar declared here on Friday that no compromise will be made on the National Finance Commission award and Thal canal and Kalabagh dam projects.

He said he had directed the revenue authorities to exempt those growers from payment of revenue tax (Dhal), whose lands, lying at tail- ends of the waterways, had been hit by the water shortage.

He said this while talking to journalists in Ghotki on Friday, after speaking at an open kutchehry, where he announced the plans to establish a university and a cadet college in Ghotki and a girls’ degree college in Daharki.

Mr Mahar dispelled the impression that Sindh was being run through dictates from the Centre and announced no compromise would be made on the rights of the province.

The chief minister said the Asian Development Bank had been approached for a grant of 10 million dollars for the province and talks in this regard were in final stage.

He said those districts, which had been neglected earlier, would be given a priority for launching development projects.

Deploring the deterioration in law and order situation in the province in general and Shikarpur and Jacobabad districts in particularly, he pledged to cleanse the province of bandits and their harbourers.

He directed the police officials to redress public grievances in order to restore their confidence in the police department.

Earlier, the chief minister held an open kutchehry, in which he announced that a university and a cadet college would be established in Ghotki and a girls’ degree college would be set up in Daharki.

He said a comprehensive scheme had been envisaged to carry out a beautification plan in cities, towns as well as villages of the province, which was to be launched very shortly.

He said he was committed to bridging the gap between the urban and rural people of Sindh and to meet this end, he was shortly organizing a grand festival in Karachi, where the people from the entire province, belonging to different walks of life, would participate and exhibit their merchandise.

He said his government was going to spend billions of rupees on the development of almost every sector, particularly education, health roads, village electrification and other public-oriented projects.

Responding to the public demand regarding jobs for the local youth, the chief minister assured the people that a meeting with the heads of the multinational companies, operating in the district, would be held soon and they would be bound down to provide maximum jobs to the local youth.

Earlier, the chief minister met various delegations / individuals , including former corps commander Naseer Akhter, at the Mahar House.