AJK's annual development plans cheaper than federal department budgets: NA body informed

A parliamentary panel was informed on Monday that total annual development programme (ADP) of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is Rs 12 billion that is less than the budget of any bigger government department of the four provinces. Briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan that met here with MNA Malik Ibrar Ahmed, Chief Secretary AJK Muhammad Jalal Sikander Sultan clarified that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, during his visit to AJK in December last year, increased the ADP from Rs 12 to Rs 22 billion.
He also clarified that Prime Minister also promised that the federal government will increase ADP in phased manner, adding the non-development budget is Rs 70 billion, besides Rs 6-7 billion the federal government schemes. "The ADP for AJK is too small for the development of the valley, as it is less than the budget of any bigger department of any province of the country," he added. About the educational institutions in the Valley, he said that some 692 government schools are being run without proper buildings, for which the federal government has promised to allocate funds.
"The damaged schools in the wake of devastating earthquake of 2005 are yet to be constructed by ERRA (Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority), and now the prime minister has ordered to build the buildings, for which the federal government will provide funds," he added.
The secretary education AJK/GB gave a comprehensive briefing to the committee about reforms and the overall standard of education in AJK. The members put many questions about the briefing which was answered by the concerned officers while noting their different suggestion for improvement. The chief secretary AJK informed the committee about the new steps being taken by the present government to improve the standard of teacher's minimum education, merit-based recruitment through Public Service Commission and continuation on ban on ad-hoc appointments of teachers.
He further said, "We are facing many challenges from different quarters to carry out our improved agenda but we are determined to change the present deteriorating education system." The representative from Gilgit-Baltistan also apprised the committee about the reforms and initiatives taken by the new government after 2016 to bring basic structural changes to meet the challenges of the modern era and come up to the expectations of the people who have elected them.
These reforms include establishment of private school regularity authority, establishment of directorate of technical & vocational education and establishment of teachers' certification & licensing authority. The committee appreciated the briefings and advised the concerned authorities to work hard on these lines to improve the education system which is the only way to change the fate of the country and face the challenges ahead.
The meeting was attended by Major Tahir Iqbal (r), Chaudhry Abid Raza, Nasir Iqbal Bosal, Shamas-un-Nissa, Junaid Akbar and senior officers of AJK ministry. The officials from Gilgit-Baltistan also attended the meeting.