Backward districts: Punjab government to spend 41 percent of ADP for basic facilities

Political Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab for Auqaf Syed Rafaqat Ali Gillani said that 41 per cent of the next ADP (Annual Development Plan) would be spent on provision of basic facilities of life in the backwards districts of Punjab.
Reviewing the draft special strategy for development of southern Punjab here on Monday, he said the projects aimed at elimination of chemical substances in water causing cancer and hepatitis, would be given priority, besides ensuring safe drinking water supply through taps instead of bottled water.
He said that Programmes relating to agricultural sector would be incorporated in schools' textbooks and technical training courses to facilitate people of southern Punjab comprising 54 per cent of the population of the province. He mentioned that agro based industry would be promoted to give an end to unemployment, asserting that it had been suggested to allocate a total of Rs. 22 billion for new agricultural programme in the upcoming provincial budget. Instead of procurement, he said, watchers and provision of storage facilities for enhanced wheat production were under consideration.
He further said that business courses would be introduced for the people deprived of education due to lack of resources so as to make them self-reliant and enable them to play an effective role in the economic development of the province. Local people would be preferred for teaching staff that would help ensure teachers' presence in educational institutions he added.