LAHORE, June 14: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said on Saturday that the provincial government had prepared the budget for 2003-2004 with public welfare in mind.

He was presiding over a cabinet meeting prior to presentation of the provincial budget. The cabinet approved the budgetary proposals and the finance bill.

The chief minister said the reconstruction process in the Punjab would include provision of basic amenities to the people. A substantial share of government’s resources had been diverted to backward areas so as to solve their problem on a priority basis, he said.

He said a five-marla scheme would be initiated for villagers and around 100,000 acres distributed among landless tillers.

The chief minister said that besides the health insurance scheme for government employees, a telemedicine system was being introduced in DHQ hospitals so that people could take benefit of the expertise of specialist doctors.

He said small dams were being constructed on canals and barrages in order to provide the growers with cheap electricity.

The chief minister said the government had increased the budget of district governments manifold.