F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: A consultative Jirga of the elders of all merged districts was held here on Tuesday with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan in the chair.
The Jirga deliberated on the ways and means for the timely solution of the problems faced by the people and put forward recommendations for the sustainable development of the area. Besides elders of all the merged districts, Members Parliaments from the merged areas, provincial Cabinet Members, high ranked officials of the provincial government and senior journalists attended the jirga. The participants were given detail briefing on various developmental schemes chalked out for the merged districts under the 10-years development program.
The participants were also informed about the developmental initiatives included in the Accelerated Implementation Plan (AIP) and the routine Annual Developmental Program (ADP) for the merged districts.
It was told that under the 10-years developmental plan and amount of Rs. 1325 Billion will be spent on the sustainable development of the merged areas during the next 10 years. “Committees have been constituted in all merged districts with membership of the local elected representatives, government officials and other stake holders for identifying development schemes in these districts whereas a joint working groups has also being constituted with Additional Chief Secretary as its head for effective monitoring the implementation of developmental schemes under the AIP”; the participants of the jirga were briefed.
It was further informed that more than 1.2 Million people of the merged districts would be provided free treatment facilities in designated private and public sector hospitals under the Sehat Sahulat Program; and added that an amount of Rs. 1.1 Billion have been allocated under the Insaaf Rozgar Scheme to provide maximum job opportunities to the youth of the merged areas.
Similarly, 22000 levy personnel have been absorbed in regular police force while 8000 more will be absorbed very soon. “An amount of Rs. 3.86 Billion have been approved for missing facilities in educational institutions of the merged areas and an amount of Rs. 2.60 Billion have been okayed for provision of medical equipment in healthcare service delivery out lifts of the areas”; the forum was informed and added that the more than 5000 new vacancies have been created for education sector whereas 2000 plus vacancies have been created for health sector in merged districts; and recruitment against the same would be completed by June this year.
The jirga was further briefed that an amount of Rs. 6.00 Billion have been set aside for the improvement/upgradation of electricity infrastructure in these areas.
Addressing the participants of the jirga the Chief Minister reiterated that his government and party leadership were fully committed for the accelerated development of the merged areas and all out efforts would be made to this effect.
He assured the elders that all their grievances would be addressed and their problems solved on priority basis and added that all the developmental initiatives for the uplift of the merged areas would be implemented in consultation with the local elders. Mahmood Khan urged upon the elders of the merged areas to play their effective role in foiling the negative propaganda of anti-merger elements.
Elders of the merged areas highly appreciated the steps taken by the provincial government for taking their inputs in the developmental process of the merged areas and expressed their gratitude for Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Mahmood Khan for taking keen interest in the development of the merged areas.
They highlighted some urgent nature of issues faced by the people of the common man in the merged areas and demanded quick action for their timely solutions.
