SIALKOT, April 13; The Punjab government has allocated Rs12.9 million for converting Sialkot into the first model information technology district of the province, and released Rs8.5 million of the allocated amount.

According to a press release issued here, district Nazim Mian Naeem Javaid said the mega project had been finalized by Punjab IT secretary Saeed Alvi.

He said the released money would be spent on purchasing computers and training employees.

All record of the district government is also being computerized.

The district government would provide computers at the union council level for promotion of information technology in the district, the Nazim added.

PUBLIC WELFARE: Development projects worth Rs5.6 million were implemented by the district government in urban and rural areas during this fiscal year.

In a press release issued here, the district Nazim said that these projects were related to water supply, sanitation, health care and education.

He said that the district government had allocated 74 per cent of the funds for rural areas besides providing Rs500,000 to each union council for small village-level schemes.

The district government has also provided Rs20 million each to Sialkot, Daska and Pasrur TMAs.

The district Nazim added that the public health engineering department had been put under the supervision of tehsil councils, and sanitation projects would now be implemented by TMAs.

SUBSTANDARD FERTILISERS, PESTICIDES: Various organizations of farmers and growers at a meeting here urged upon the government to immediately launch a vigorous campaign against the sale of substandard fertilisers and adulterated pesticides in Sialkot and Narowal districts.

Farmers’ representatives, including Syed Iqbal Ahmad Shah, Abdul Rehman Bagri, Mirza Ehsan Baig and Chaudhry Munawar Ahmad, told the meeting that despite the repeated appeals made by various farmers’ organizations, the local district government authorities had failed to curb the menace of substandard pesticides.

They urged upon the government to announce a special relief package for the country’s growers besides adopting effective measures for providing them quality pesticides and fertilisers.

They demanded of the government to release interest-free loans for them besides writing of the interest on loans already acquired by them, in the wake of increased POL prices.