LAHORE, June 11: The Punjab government has decided to spend Rs30 billion over next five years on the repair of six barrages in the province, Governor Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool (retired) said on Tuesday.

He was presiding over a meeting at the Planning and Development Board. The barrages include Khanki, Jinnah, Sulemanki, Taunsa, Islam and Balloki.

The governor informed the meeting that a major portion of the Khanki Barrage had been damaged by land erosion. The government, he said, was considering to first repair this barrage at an estimated cost of Rs6 billion.

He asked the authorities concerned to complete the Rs100 million feasibility studies by the middle of the next year.

The governor said at least Rs400 million should be available to the Irrigation and Power Department for this project during the next financial year.

The meeting finalized strategy for the implementation of various priority projects of the provincial government including promotion of health and education, elimination of poverty, skilled development, widening of inter-district roads, animal husbandry and farmers’ welfare.