(TAP) - A cold weather plan will be set in motion in the governorates of Jendouba, Kasserine, Kef and Siliana, Premier Youssef Chahed Saturday announced during a visit to the village of Machrawa in Ain Drahem (governorate of Jendouba).

Chahed told TAP housing improvements for one thousand needy families (5,000 dinars/houseold) are at the heart of this multi-faceted programme. The programme of regional social solidarity committees will also be beefed up with heating equipment and other facilities to cope with the cold spell.

A project to equip the houses of low-income households in these four governorates and that of Tozeur is another component of this programme.

The multicomponent programme announced by the PM also includes the setting up of solar energy production units that will benefit nearly 10,000 houses of low-income households; the move is financed by the Energy Transfer Fund.

Thirty-seven rural tracks of 240km will likewise be developed in the five governorates with a total investment of about 83 million dinars earmarked by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.

Chahed said the projects providing for drinking water supply and the development of rural tracks linking the villages of Machrawa and Zouaitia will be brought to completion, along with the programme to address basic housing in this village (100 rudimentary dwellings) and provide urgent social assistance.

Some Machrawa locals voiced discontent as they had not been among the recipients of aid for needy families.

President of the Tunisian Union of National Solidarity Mohamed Khouini told TAP the list of recipients needs to be reconsidered and a second list added