RAWALPINDI, June 13: Work on about 80 per cent of the projects announced by Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has been started.

This was said by Provincial Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Mohammad Basharat Raja while speaking at a function held at the Rawalpindi Press Club on Sunday.

Mr Raja said the chief minister was paying special attention to the development of Rawalpindi. This is the reason why a record number of development schemes had been initiated in the district, he added.

About the Committee Chowk underpass, the provincial minister said talks were underway for the project and work would soon be started on it once all aspects of the scheme had been studied.

He said land would be acquired in a proper way after the owners had been paid its price according to the prevailing market value. The scheme will be completed within 90 days once work is initiated on it, he said.

Mr Raja said Rs300 million had been kept for the establishment of Journalist Housing Foundation. A suitable place, he said, was being searched for the foundation. He said the amount would not lapse despite the end of the current financial year adding it would be spent on the journalists housing scheme.

He said he would also request the Punjab chief minister to allocate a specific share for Rawalpindi Press Club in the annual budget of the province as was being given to the Lahore Press Club every year.

Speaking on the occasion, MPA Samina Jadoon said the residents of her constituency had been complaining of contaminated water supply. She said she had started work on installing four water purification plants in different localities of her constituency. The plants, she said, would start pumping water within a month.

Senator Tahira Latif said she had spent about Rs100 million on development schemes in her areas. She said the government had provided funds to all the parliamentarians on equal basis.