PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will set up a home for senior citizens and a Braille Academy in Peshawar along with implementing several other public-centric projects.
The information was shared as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah chaired a review meeting on Wednesday to assess the progress of the good governance roadmap for the Public Health Engineering (PHE), Energy and Power, Social Welfare, and Higher Education departments.
The meeting was attended by relevant secretaries and senior officials from the departments concerned, said a handout. The PHE Department shared its initiatives focused on improving service delivery through technology and sustainability.
Key measures include the digitization of water supply and sanitation infrastructure, the transition to green and climate-resilient systems such as the solarization of water supply schemes, and pilot projects for rainwater harvesting in Abbottabad, Mansehra, and Orakzai, as well as groundwater recharge in Kohat, Hangu, and Haripur.
The Energy and Power Department presented a roadmap to accelerate progress on priority hydel projects, including the 300 MW Balakot, 69 MW Lavi, and 84 MW Matiltan schemes.It was added that reforms in the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization are also underway to enhance project delivery and attract investment.
The department is working to expand off-grid and community-based energy access, ensure the maintenance of over 300 completed micro-hydro projects, and roll out subsidized solar home systems for 130,000 households. Plans are also in place to install solar systems in 40,000 government facilities and to strengthen grid integration.
The Social Welfare Department highlighted its people-centric initiatives, such as interest-free loans under the Ehsaas Rozgar Programme and monthly stipends to 9,000 orphans through the Roshan Mostakbil Card.
The department has 10 Zamung Kor facilities in different districts while a senior citizens’ home is being set up in Peshawar, while 10 existing Dar-ul-Amans are being strengthened and five new ones are being established.
Services to gender-based violence survivors are being enhanced through the Bolo Helpline.Furthermore, 15,000 widows are receiving monthly stipends via the Sahara Card, and a Braille Academy is being established at the University of Peshawar. The department is also spearheading several empowerment initiatives for marginalized groups.
The Higher Education Department outlined its action plan focused on upgrading colleges, introducing market-driven academic programmes, and launching STEM certification for teachers.
Other major steps include digitizing the admissions process, initiating internship programmes for students, establishing career development centers in 50 per cent of universities, outsourcing select colleges, and strengthening research and development across higher education institutions.
