HYDERABAD, April 9: Sindh Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar has said that the next budget of the province will be people-friendly and no new tax will be levied. He also said that the flat rate for electricity consumed by tube- wells would be introduced to bring about an agricultural revolution.

The chief minister was speaking at a public gathering in Matiari near here on Thursday, which was organized by MPA Syed Jalal Shah Jamote. Mr Mahar claimed that he had eliminated corruption in the province and said that if a single case of corruption was proved, he would resign.

He said that when he assumed power, unemployment was at its peak in Sindh but he had created 35,000 jobs which would be given on the basis of merit. The chief minister said that efforts were being made to improve law and order situation in the province and added that investment depended on improved law and order situation. He further said that local and foreign investments had already started pouring in.

Stressing the need for education, he said without it, neither the people nor the province could prosper. Mr Mahar said that he did not believe in the politics of victimization and added that during his tenure, no false case had been registered against any MPA.

He, however, made it clear that if anyone violated law, he would not be spared irrespective of his political clout or social status. Earlier, in his welcome address, Mr Jamote thanked the chief minister for resolving the problem of Matiari bypass.

The MPA demanded that the Matiari Rural Health Centre should be upgraded into a taluka hospital, summary for new establishment of Matiari sub-jail should be approved and local girls college should be upgraded.

The chief minister approved upgradation of the RHC into a taluka hospital and announced that the girls college would also be upgraded and the SNE of the prison would be approved.

He also accepted the demand about construction of 10- kilometre-long metalled road in Matiari taluka. Sindh ministers, Dr Irfan Gul Magsi, Arbab Ghulam Raheem, Shabbir Ahmed Kaimi; advisers to chief minister, Syed Aijaz Ali Shah Shirazi and Faqir Jadam Mangrio; MPA Imamuddin Shouqeen and others were present on the occasion.