A 10-member delegation of the French Senate's Commission on Foreign Affairs and Defence, headed by Jean Francois Poncert, called on Punjab Local Government, Law and Public Prosecution Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja, here on Tuesday.
The minister briefed the delegation on the development projects completed in the province and informed them that the pace of development in the rural areas of the province had been geared up while there were metalled link-roads in almost all the villages in the province at the moment.
He further informed the delegation that an Education Sector Reforms Programme had been launched in the province under which education up to matriculation had been made gratis while the students were being provided with books free of cost.
About health sector, he said that in order to provide temptation to the doctors to serve in the rural areas, they were being provided with maximum facilities there. He further told the delegation that a record legislation had been made in the larger public interest in the province.
Talking about the rural economy and agriculture, he said that the persons with up to 12.5 acres holding of land had been exempted from agriculture tax while the irrigation system had been improved which had resulted in enhanced per acre yield. He further said that in order to protect the minorities' rights, a separate department had been established in the province which was being headed by an elected female minority member.
He expressed satisfaction that there existed a complete harmony among the followers of all the religions in the province.
Expressing gratitude over the relief goods provided for the quake-hit people of Azad Kashmir by the French government, he pointed out that Pakistan and France had deep ties of friendship. Speaking on this occasion, the head of the French delegation commended the education reforms programme of the Chief Minister and expressed the hope that promotion of education in the province would help eliminate poverty and ignorance.
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