PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Atif Khan Tuesday said the provincial government was ready to sit with opposition members to address their grievances regarding what they say unjust distribution of development funds.
Winding up a debate on Annual Development Program (ADP) in the assembly, the minister said unlike past governments in the province, PTI government was ready to sit with opposition and take them on board on just distribution of development funds.
He refuted the notion of opposition members that KP government was ignoring them in release of funds, saying, the government had released 30 percents to local leaders at district level as they better know problems being faced by people in their respective districts.
Minister for Food Qalandar Khan Lodhi said the Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has asked him to play role as a bridge among government and opposition benches over the funds distribution issue.
He said that several schemes were under process across the province, adding that attention was being paid to less privileged areas. He assured release of fund on equality basis.
Earlier, the opposition lawmakers grilled the provincial government for ignoring them in Annual Development Program 2018-19 of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and warned to stage protest.
The assembly proceedings resumed after five days’ recess here with Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani in the chair witnessed uproar by the opposition over ADP.
Leader of the Opposition, Akram Khan Durrani starting the debate on ‘Annual Developmental Program (ADP), said the government had ignored the opposition lawmakers in developmental projects. He said the government did not start any mega projects in any of opposition members’ constituency.
Akram Durrani said the government’s development was Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) centered as the government had sought Rs 20 billion additional loan including Rs 17 billion for BRT.
Parliamentary Leader of PMLN, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said the opposition members were having many expectations from the government with regard to just distribution of funds, but unfortunately the situation was contrary.
Parliamentary Leader of ANP, Sardar Hussain Babak said that whenever the opposition demanded release of funds the government made the excuse of past governments’ corruption, adding that during PTI government the people constructed road by themselves and got electricity transformers installed by contributing money.
Inayatullah Khan of Jamat Islami said the government was releasing funds to government lawmakers only. He suggested chalking out of a 15-year plan for distributing of funds to all districts.
Parliamentary Leader of Pakistan Peoples’ Party, Sher Azam Wazir said people of the province had given mandate to PTI for resolution of their problems and the government should have to ensure equal distribution of funds so that everybody could get benefit from development.
Maulana Lutfur Rehman of MMA, Khushdil Khan Advocate of ANP, Mina Nisar Gul Kakakhel of MMA and Sardar Aurengzeb Nalotha took part in the debate.
Later, the House passed “The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Buildings (management, Control and Allotment) Bill, 2019 with majority of votes and adopted “The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Land Acquisition (Mines) (Amendment) Bill 2019.”
The Speaker adjourned the proceeding of the House till Wednesday noon.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.