MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas on Saturday said his government was contemplating reviving thepanchayat(village council) and lumberdar (village headman) system in the region.

Underscoring the need for promoting Islamic values and traditions, the prime minister also announced cash prizes amounting Rs10 million, Rs5.5 million and Rs2.5 million for the best three books on the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to be judged by a committee headed by the AJK`s chief justice.

He said this in his address at the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-elected office-bearers of Jhelum Valley District Press Club in Hattian Bala, some 55km south of here.

AJK Minister for elementaryand secondary educadon Deewan Ali Khan Chughtai, parliamentary secretary for social welfare Tagdees Gillani, PTI leader Syed Zeeshan Haider and PPP leader Sahibzada Ashfaq Zaffar were also present on the occasion.

The prime minister said thetraditional panchayat and lumberdar system had delivered for centuries without putting any additional financial burden on the public exchequer and he had decided to revive it in the rural areas with minor amendments in line with modern day needs.

Lauding the role of the journalist community, the prime minister said they helped the government stay informed about the issues faced by people through their daily news reports in addition to offering suggestions and guidelines on different issues through their opinion pieces.

The government was not only well aware of the problems being f aced by the journalist community but would also take all possiblemeasures to resolve them, he added.

He also announced a grant of Rs1 million for the club and an additional amount of Rs800,000 for the welfare and medical treatment of journalists. Mr Ilyas also announced that six motorcycles would be provided to the club f rom his own pocket.

Hailing the scenic beauty of Jhelum Valley, the prime minister said that the government had directed all departments concerned to devise a comprehensive strategy to buildinfrastructure to promote tourism in the area.

`Special plans are also being brought for the development of cottage industries in the region to create employment opportunities and boost the local economy,` he said, asking the district administration to identify and acquire a piece of crown`s land for the purpose.

The AJK premieralso exhorted upon the local community to not only protect their natural environ-ment and forests but also extend exemplary hospitality towards the visitors from outside to leave a good impression about their area.

He informed the audience that he had given three months to his cabinet members and secretaries to prove their worth and formally brief him on their performance af ter every three months.

`The one who fails to deliver will be shown the door,` he declared.

Later, the prime minister attended the final match of a cricket tournament, where he announced Rs300,000 for the winning team, Rs150,000 each for the runner-up and tournament organising committee and Rs25,000 for each participating team.

Amid cheerful applause, the prime minister also announced construction of a sports complex in Hattian Bala.

In the last leg of his engagementsinHattianBala,helaunched the Jhelum Valley Tourism Festival.