CM launches public outreach campaign at Khyber

Ahmad Nabi

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan Friday formally launched public outreach campaign at Khyber district to inform the tribal people about ongoing and upcoming developmental initiatives in different sectors and to familiarize them about their delivery mechanism while at the same time taking public feedback in order to ensure that all the initiatives reflect aspirations of people and correspond to ground realities.

While addressing the inaugural session of public outreach campaign at Tehsil Landi Kotal, the Chief Minister announced continuation of outreach campaign on daily basis in Newly Merged Tribal Districts (NMDs) and stated that provincial government is fully committed for actively pursuing its development agenda for the prosperity and welfare of tribal districts adding that a budget of Rs.83 billion would be spent for uplifting of merged areas.

He made it clear that fast track development of merged areas is the top most priority of the provincial government and judicious utilization of resources would be ensured for the purpose.

He announced on this occasion that provision of stipends to children of martyrs would soon be started further stating that tribal people would be recruited against the vacancies in merged areas.

Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Khyber briefed the participants about the ongoing and upcoming initiatives of provincial government for Tribal District Khyber.

According to details, Rs. 55 billion 44 crore have been approved for establishment of Peshawar Torkham Expressway. Establishment of Economic zones at District Khyber is also part of this project. In order to provide state of the art facility at Torkham border, an Integrated Transit Trade Management System would also be established with the estimated cost of Rs. 16 billion. Operationalization of Torkham Border for 24/7 has been completed resulting in increase of trade and business activities. Under the Insaf Rozgar Scheme, 568 domicile holders of District Khyber have been provided with Rs. 11 crore to enable them to start their own businesses while 508 beneficiaries have benefited through Kamyab Jawan Scheme so far. Under the Sehat Sahulat Program, all the residence of tribal districts can now avail free healthcare facilities amounting to 7 lac 20 thousand rupees from reputed hospitals on annual basis. Other major health schemes for District Khyber include Pak Afghan Friendship Hospital at Torkham, approval of Rs. 24 crore for Establishment of Type-D Hospital at Tirah Bagh Maidan, Rs. 17 Crore for Hospital at Bazar Zakha Khel (Phase 2), Rs. 6 Crore for Trauma Centre and Accidents/Emergency centers, Rs 4.2 Crore for strengthening of District Head Quarter Hospital and Rs. 11 Crore for 20 Civil Dispensaries. In education sector, Rs. 240 Crore have been approved for reconstruction and rehabilitation of fully damaged schools in Bara and Rs. 27.8 Crore for Upgradation of educational institutions to High School and Higher Secondary Schools.

Similarly, Rs. 16.9 Crore have been approved for Establishment of GGDC Bara. Provision of missing and basic facilities, rehabilitation and construction of Additional Class Rooms and Examination Halls would also be ensured at an estimated Cost of Rs. 14.4 Crore. Rs. 10 Crore would be provided for Establishment of School of Technology in Govt. Technical institute Shalman.

Under the project regarding provision of stipends, Girls students of Primary and secondary level would get Rs. 1000 per month while College students would be provided with Rs. 2000 per month. Major Roads schemes of District Khyber include three different packages of Rs. 966.7 Crores for construction of Jamrud By-Pass road from Mathani-Takhtabaig road to Sur Kamar at Peshawar Totkham Road, Construction of Bridge and Construction of Jamrud road.

Similarly, Improvement and widening of Bara- Mastak, Phase-1 Bara-Shin Kamar Road would be carried out at an estimated cost of Rs. 83.5 crore while Rs. 79.2 crore for Rehabilitation & Improvement of Bara Mastak, Phase-II Shin Kamar to Mastak road, Rs. 39.9 crore for Construction of road from Jamrud to Chappare via Gudar and Rs. 12 crore would be provided for Construction of Road Connecting from Bagh Adam Khel Tribe (Tirah Maindan).

In water and irrigation sector, Rs. 55 Crore have been approved for solar and gravity based water schemes in Landi Kotal and Jamrud, Rs. 3.4 crore for Construction of new solar based drinking water supply schemes and rehabilitation of non-functional schemes and Rs. 2.1 crore for Establishment of water quality testing laboratory.

More than 10 hundred thousand people would get water through construction of Jabba Dam while 1700 Acres agriculture land could be irrigated and 6MW electricity would be produced through construction of Bara Dam. Rs. 5.6 Crore have also been approved for ponds and check dams. In Agriculture and Horticulture, Rs. 3.5 Crore are being provided for promotion of agriculture and horticulture activities in District Khyber while Rs. 7 Crore for purchase of earth moving machinery for land reclamation. Rs. 40 crore have been approved for Provision of Municipal Services in Jamrud Bazar. With regard to Security and Policing, Rs. 2.1 crore have been approved for construction of police stations while Induction and regularization of levies and khasadar force in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police has also been done. In order to promote tourism in District Khyber, Rs. 4.5 Crore would be spent for Tourism infrastructure development activities in the District while Rs. 3 crore have been approved for establishment of Machni park. Under the Relief and Rehabilitation activities, Rs. 35 crore would be utilized for the establishment of Emergency rescue services (Rescue 1122) and Rs. 11 crore for Establishment of Social Welfare Complex including Orphanage, Dar-ul-Aman and School for the Handicapped in Bara, District Khyber.

As many as 18 Veterinary Centers and 26 AICs would be established in Khyber with the estimated cost of Rs. 25.8 Core. Rs. 18.5 crore would be spent for Afforestation of Torkham & Mada Khel Watershed. Similarly, Rs. 1.5 crore has been approved for improvement, rehabilitation, construction & re-construction of Masajid, Madaris & Darul Ulooms in District Khyber.

It was also revealed that under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minerals Sector Governance (Amendments) 2019, Priority for grant of Mineral Title shall rest with the local community and Mineral Title holder shall be nominated by the local community.

The due shares of the local community shall be identified by District Administration through Jalsa-e-Aam as per their customs and traditions while Dispute Resolution Committee headed by DC shall be constituted to resolve mining disputes. Rights of the existing Minerals Titles holders have also been protected.