PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has established three additional shelter homes in Abbottabad, Dera Ismail Khan and Swat districts whereas work is underway to set up similar facilities in Bannu, Mardan, Kohat, South Waziristan and Khyber districts.
While briefing the chief minister on the steps taken for the welfare of citizens, secretary Social Welfare said that 17914 shelter-less people have been facilitated so far in the operational shelter homes.
The chief minister was informed that efforts were currently underway for registration of senior citizens throughout the province under which 0.785 million senior citizens have been registered out of the estimated 2.8 million in the province. These citizens will be provided with Senior Citizen Cards through which they will avail general financial assistance and assistance healthcare facilities. Currently, 6,000 senior citizens have been facilitated through special counters established in major hospitals of the province.
The chief minister directed that senior citizens should also be provided with free transportation throughout the province especially in the Bus Rapid Transit project along with exempting them from long queues at public places. Mahmood Khan asked the authorities concerned to initiate crackdown against professional beggary in the province, adding that out of province beggars have flooded the provincial capital which are a source of nuisance for citizens.
The chief minister was informed that summary for Vagrancy Bill has been sent to the Chief Minister’s office which will prove to help curb professional beggary along with identifying genuine and deserving people who will be supported by the provincial government.
As per the briefing, Rs30 million were donated by philanthropists in Ramazan under Ehsaas Dastarkhwans through which more than 400,000 people were facilitated whereas lists of such philanthropists have been prepared who will be included in the management Board for shelter homes.
The chief minister was briefed on the initiatives taken by the Social Welfare Department for the rehabilitation of drug addicts. Efforts were underway to establish detox centers in the 11 established rehabilitation centres of the province. He was informed that due to free treatment, patients from Punjab and other provinces are turning towards the rehabilitation centres of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.The chief minister stated that efforts for rehabilitation are futile unless the legal framework against drug suppliers is strengthened to exterminate them at the source.
He directed for prompt follow up for the bill against ice (methamphetamine) drug so that relevant laws may be enforced. As for economic empowerment of women, Mahmood Khan was informed that Model Skills Development Centers in 5 districts were being established under which the centre in Lakki Marwat had been made operational whereas PC-1 for the remaining centres had been finalized. The chief minister expressed satisfaction at the initiatives stating that all-out efforts should be undertaken to expedite the process of establishing welfare institutions.