PESHAWAR: KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said that extension of Social Health Protection Scheme of the provincial government to 100 percent population of the province was being launched next week and stated that with the extension of this scheme, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be the first province to provide free treatment facilities to its entire population.
He was addressing public gatherings at his native town, Matta district Swat after inaugurating two mega developmental schemes including Shamezai Irrigation Schemes and Sui Gas Supply to Matta and Khawza Khela area here Saturday. Shamezai Irrigation Scheme with 21 kilometers long canal having its source at river Swat has been completed with a total cost of Rs907 million.
The irrigation schemes will irrigate about 5000 acres of land of Bagh Dheri, Sambar, Ashari, Khararai and other villages. Sui Gas Supply Schemes to Matta and Khawza Khela areas will be completed by June next year with an estimated cost of Rs2 billion, and on completion it would benefit around one lac households of the area.
Federal Minister for Communication, Murad Saeed, Provincial Minister for agriculture, Mohibullah Khan and Chairman DDAC Swat also accompanied the Chief Minister.
Criticizing, the alliance of opposition parties, Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDM) for its unjustified move against the government, he said that these political parties, turn by turn have ruled this country for almost seven decades but they did nothing for the country except plundering its exchequer adding that these parties have come together just to protect their ill-gotten money as Prime Minister has come very hard on them with regard to their corruption.
"These corrupt political elements are trying to defame national institutions just for their political and personal motives," Mahmood Khan lamented and added that every individual of this nation stands side by side with the armed forces and no one would be allowed to defame our national institutions.
Touching upon the achievements of his government, the Chief Minister remarked that during the last two years the incumbent provincial government had achieved great success adding that when the provincial government came into power, it had to face the herculean task of erstwhile-FATA merger with KP, and just in a short span of just two years all the process of merger has been completed further stating that now the government is focusing the fast track development of the merged areas.
The Chief Minister assured that all the promises made to the people of merged areas would be fulfilled and he would personally fight at all forums for the rights of the tribal districts.
He said that mega projects like Bus Rapid Transit, Swat Motorway Phase-1, Rashakai Economic Zone and others have been completed successfully and a number of new mega developmental schemes are going to be launched in the province including Peshawar-D.I. Khan Motorway, Chashma Right Bank Canal Project, Khyber Pass Economic Corridor, Swat Motorway Phase-2, Dir Express Way, Shangla Express way and the like.
"5 to 10 Economic Zones will be established in the province during the tenure of the incumbent government and with the completion of these projects, the province will turn into a hub of trade and business activities," Mahmood Khan remarked and added that all these projects aimed at boosting trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian states which will ultimately create tremendous employment opportunities for the local people.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020