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MULTAN, Nov 15 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Saturday
that he would issue instructions to provincial governments to take action
against fertilizers hoarders to protect poor farmers’ interests.
Fertilizers hoarders should face punishment and poor growers should not suffer
losses due to hoarders’ illegal profit-taking practices, Prime Minister said
while addressing a public meeting at Hamidpur Kanora village after laying
foundation stone and earthbreaking of two big road schemes worth more than Rs
4.5 billion here.
He laid the foundation stone of 8km six-lane carriageway at Vehari Chowk, a Rs
960 million urban area project from Bahawalpur Chowk to Jinnah Chowk which will
be completed in a year time.
Gilani also performed the earthbreaking ceremony of 36.5 kilometre long
Multan-Muzaffargarh additional carriageway and 16.5 kilometre long four-lane
Muzaffargarh bypass, a Rs 3.6 billion project to be completed in 30-month
period.
Prime Minister Gilani said that federal government was providing a huge subsidy
of Rs 32 billion alone on fertilizers to ensure its availability to farmers at
reduced price.
He said that PASSCO has started purchasing rice at Rs 1500 per maund and added
that price of rice would soon be stabilized in the market. PASSCO will itself
lift the rice production from farmers and will pay them the price announced by
the government.
He said that his government enhanced the support price of wheat from Rs 425 to
Rs 950 per maund to ensure bumper wheat crop and promised that government will
purchase every single grain of wheat production in the forthcoming wheat season.
Prime Minister said, government introduced Rs 34 billion Benazir income support
scheme under which poor families will get Rs 1000 per month financial support to
help them manage their family budgets easily.
Prime Minister said that land has been made available for establishment of a
cadet college in Multan and work on the project will begin soon.
He also announced other mega development projects including Rs 2 billion Aiman
Wala Pattan bridge over the river between Uch Sharif and Jalalpur Pirwala that
will reduce travelling distance between Karachi and Multan by 100 kilometres. He
said that the project boost economic activity in this area.
Gilani said that work on the DHQ hospital project has already begun in Multan
and added that Nishtar Hospital Multan was built in 1953 when Gilani family
offered the land for the project which was completed due to efforts made by his
father, Syed Alamdar Hussain Gilani, and the Gilani family.
He announced to set up a basic health unit (BHU) at Hamidpur Kanora village and
added that he will send instructions to the provincial government to establish
high schools for boys and girls in the area.
Gilani pledged to develop infrastructure in all areas across the country
irrespective of political affiliations of the people residing there.
He said that he has already approved Sui gas supply schemes for areas including
Shershah, Sultanpur Hammar, Khokhar, Ferozpur and Hamidpur and announced that
rest of the villages including Aliwala will also get this facility soon.
Prime Minister said that a separate ministry for postal services has been
introduced and financial assistance worth billions of rupees will be distributed
among the poor through this service under Benazir Income Support programme.
The premier also announced to introduce health policy for the poor segments of
society.
He said that government was extending loans to farmers for enhanced agriculture
production and introduced crop insurance scheme to offer them security cover in
case their crops are destroyed due to natural disasters like floods, torrential
rains and hailstrom. He announced that premium will be paid by the government to
support small growers.
Prime Minister said that coalition government was formed at the centre to
successfully counter the problems confronting the country through a joint
struggle of all parties and political forces.
He pledged to steer the country out of troubled waters and added that Pakistan
will soon be making strides in all sectors by virtue of a robust and sustainable
development process that will be launched with the help of all coalition
partners.
The Premier said that present government will come up to the expectations of
the people and will meet all their development demands.
He said his that party remains committed to the vision of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, adding that democracy, and empowerment of
people was their mission. PPP will continue its mission of empowerment of the
people through parliament.
Prime Minister said, it was his desire to address a public meeting in this area
and offer thanks to the people because he won Zila council election in 1983, and
MNA elections from this constituency in 1987, 1988, 1990, and 1993. He said that
PPP candidates MNA Nawab Liaquat Ali Khan and MPA Syed Nazim Hussain Shah also
won the 2008 elections from this constituency.
Minister of State for communications Imtiaz Safdar Waraich, MNA Nawab Liaquat
Ali Khan, and MPA Syed Nazim Hussain Shah also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, Chairman NHA Altaf Hussain gave briefing to the PM on two road schemes
on the occasion of laying of foundation stone of Rs 960 million six-lane road at
Vehari Chowk in the city, and ground breaking of Rs 3.6 billion project of
Multan-Muzaffargarh additional carriageway and four-lane Muzaffargarh bypass at
Chowk Nag Shah.
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