KARACHI, Oct 1: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has announced that his government will begin construction of 300-km-long coastal highway this year with its own resources.

Addressing a ceremony held at Gharo on Saturday night to declare Goth Ahmed Abad as a model village, he said that the provincial government would accept financial assistance for the project if offered by federal government.

He said that feasibility study of this project had been completed six months back. The project would provide ample job opportunities to the people of coastal areas and would usher in a new era of progress and prosperity in the entire coastal belt, he said, and hoped that after its construction, foreign investor would come out with heavy investments in this water sports resorts.

He said that the Sindh government was launching the Village Improvement Programme from Thatta district under which rural areas would be brought at par with the urban ones through upgrading of civic facilities.

The chief minister said that Ahmed Abad Village, under this plan, would be provided with all basic facilities like water, electricity, gas, college, hospital, park, shopping centre, roads, streets, drainage, etc.

He said that the urban-rural gap would be bridged and all citizens would get equal facilities. He declared that ownership rights of properties would be given to the residents of model villages who would then be able to obtain bank loans on their ownership documents.

Dr Arbab said that in foreign countries, even villages were set up with prior planning but here in Pakistan, the big cities like Karachi lacked proper planning.

He said that cold storage houses for fish and prawn would be built at Zero Point, Badin, and transport would be provided from this point to Karachi so that the fishermen could sell their catch in Karachi markets.

He said that the Sindh government was giving special attention to education, and warned that no leniency would be shown to negligent teachers.

The chief minister said that he would entertain no recommendation with regard to posting and transfer of teachers. He pointed out that rural schools had been without teachers, and made it clear that the government could not allow future of young generation turning black.

Dr Arbab said that the government would open more technical schools so that youth could get job-oriented training.

On this occasion, he announced one ambulance to be given to the Rural Health Centre, Gharo, upgrading of the local high school to a degree college, and upgrading of Ahmed Abad Girls School to a middle school.

Director of the Village Improvement Programme Project Shafiqur Rehman Piracha gave a briefing to the chief minister about the model village of Ahmed Abad. He said that project would comprise 150 pacca and katcha houses spread over an area of 25 acres. District Nazim Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi also spoke on the occasion.

Later, the chief minister visited schools and mosque in the model village and talked to students and teachers.

He was delighted to note that on the demand of villagers, a middle school had started functioning from today. This school has also girl students who have passed primary education four/five years back.

He said that these girls, now studying in the middle school, would be appointed as teachers in the same school after passing their SSC exams.

The chief minister also called for effective measures to curb the menace of gutka and pan in Thatta, Badin and other areas, saying that it was badly affecting the health of children.—PPI/APP