CM launches Sehat Card Plus scheme for Southern districts, completing coverage of health facility to entire KP

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan Monday formally launched extension of Sehat Card Plus Scheme to Southern districts thus completing the extension process of mega free treatment facility to the entire population of the province.

The scheme was launched by Chief Minister during his visit to Dera Ismail Khan (D.I.Khan) and Tank districts.

With the completion of the extension process, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa became the first province countrywide to provide free healthcare coverage to its entire population.

During the visit, Chief Minister also inaugurated D.I Khan Economic Zone to be set up on 189 acre of land having more than 100 industrial units.

The economic zone will create around 30 thousand direct and indirect employment opportunities whereas an investment worth Rs.1.5 billion is expected on completion.

The Chief Minister also performed ground breaking of access roads to the historic tourists spot Shaikh Badin to revive it on modern lines with the aim to promote tourism activities in southern parts of the province. The project would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs. 3 billion.

Similarly, the chief minister also inaugurated upgradation and standardization of D. I Khan sports complex, indoor sports facilities for women and a number of other projects to promote sports activities in the area.

These projects would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs.560 million. Besides Federal Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Chief Minister was accompanied by provincial cabinet members including Taimur Salim Jaghra, Ziaullah Bangash, Abdul Kareem and others.

Earlier the chief minster during his visit to District Tank inaugurated district uplift and beautification project worth Rs.700 million and also launched the extension of Sehat Card Plus Scheme to the entire population of the district.

Addressing the inaugural ceremonies, Mahmood Khan congratulated people of the province on the successful extension of Sehat Card Plus to the entire population of the province and said that Sehat Card Plus was a mile stone achievement and unprecedented initiative of the provincial government towards establishing a welfare state under which entire population of the province would get free health care facility on the basis of national identity card.

The Chief Minister said that incumbent provincial government through its pro-poor initiatives has proved that the decision of people in general elections 2018 was right adding that the provincial government since its first day was working for the wellbeing of common man and all the promises made with the people would be completed one by one.

He said that under the Sehat card plus scheme 65 lac households of the province would get free treatment facilities up to Rs.One million per annum.

Besides kidney and liver transplants other treatment facilities were also being included in Sehat Card Plus to make it a comprehensive package, he added.

Highlighting the initiatives of the provincial government with regard to promoting trade and industrial activities in the province, the Chief Minister said that eleven economic zones have been established so far in the province whereas work was in progress on the economic zones in other parts of the province including Chitral, Haripur, Bunner, Bannu and other districts.

He said Daraban Economic zone would also be inaugurated very soon adding that provincial government was also working on a number of motorways projects which on completion would connect all parts of the province thus boosting trade and economic activities in the region.

Mahmood Khan remarked that work would be started on Peshawar D.I Khan Motowary within a year time period which would be an alternate CPEC route connecting all the districts of south region and added that on completion the project would prove to be a game changer not only for the southern districts but for the entire province as well.

He also announced the establishment of new tehsil in district Tank and provision of Rs.300 million for clean drinking water supply schemes.