MUZAFFARABAD, June 9: AJK Cabinet Development Committee here on Wednesday approved schemes in communications and works, education , hydropower generation and electricity sectors to be executed at a cost of Rs1298.1 million.

The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat, decided to complete all the schemes in the AJK within two years, without any slackness or negligence.

The PM also directed the ministers, secretaries and head of departments to ensure that there was no lopsidedness in budget allocations. "The allocations should be made on the basis of population of the districts as well as electoral constituencies so that no area was left out," he said, adding there should not be any compromise on the standard of work.

The PM said new schemes and projects would be included in the ADP in the next meeting. He said development targets should be achieved within the available resources.

He said the rehabilitation schemes that were to be carried out with the soft loan provided by the Asian Development Bank would begin in October 2004. The meeting approved a scheme, which would cost Rs130.795 million, for electrification of the areas surrounding Kathai powerhouse in district Muzaffarabad.

Rs144.4 million were sanctioned for 4.8 megawatt hydel power station in Bitar, which would help solve the power problem in tehsil Haveli (district Bagh).

In the communications sector, Rs54.1 million were sanctioned for construction of some roads in constituency LA-23, Rs56.7 million for LA-24, Rs55.6 million for LA-25 (in district Muzaffarabad), Rs45.535 million for LA-1, Rs46.1 million for LA-3 (in district Mirpur), Rs42.9 million for LA-8, Rs44.5 million for LA-9 (in district Kotli), Rs41.8 million for LA-14, Rs44.8 million for LA-15, Rs49.6 million for LA-16 (in district Bagh), Rs43.8 million for LA 17 (district Poonch), Rs47.5 million for LA-21 and Rs47.5 million for LA-22 (in district Sudhnoti).

MEDICAL COLLEGE: The decision by the AJK cabinet to shelve its plan to set up a medical college was severely criticized at a meeting of the Muzaffarabad United Front (MUF). The meeting decided to observe a 'black day' on Monday in protest against the decision.

"Residents of Muzaffarabad strongly condemn the cabinet decision that was based on false assessments and wrong assumptions, and they will observe a token black day on Monday by hoisting black flags and wearing black armbands," said MUF president and AJK Council member Syed Mumtaz Naqvi at a press conference here on Wednesday.

Former AJK minister and PPAJK leader Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, former LA speaker and ruling Muslim Conference leader Abdul Rashid Abbasi, Jamaat-i-Islami leaders Sheikh Aqeelur Rehman, Dr Mohammed Mushtaq and representatives of various political, religious, social, students' and traders' organizations were present on the occasion. The medical college, Mr Naqvi said, was a vital project not only for Muzaffarabad but for the whole AJK.