KP govt committed to facilitating farmers: CM

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said on Saturday that the government was taking measures to provide relief to the farmers in the province.

“We are planning to convert the tube-wells run on electricity to solar energy to boost the agriculture sector,” he said after inaugurating the Gomal Zam Dam Command Area Development Project at Kulachi here.

The chief minister said that the agriculture sector had a large contribution in economic development. He said the government would set up solar-powered tube-wells to give impetus to economic growth.

Pervez Khattak said the provincial government would approach the World Bank, seeking financial support for the plan.

He said the Gomal Zam Command Area Project would herald a green revolution in the province by bringing the barren land under cultivation.

The chief minister said that the project would help irrigate 87700 hectares of land in Kulachi tehsil in Dera Ismail Khan and over 94000 hectares land in Tank district.

 Pervez Khattak added that the work on Chashma Lift Canal project would soon start. He added the province would bear Rs40 billion of the total cost while federal government would provide Rs70 billion for the project.

The chief minister said that Gomal Zam Dam Command Area Development project was initiated to provide water for irrigation of the barren land of the area. He said that the project would cost Rs3.37 billion and would be completed in a period of three years.

Dera Ismail Khan had been included in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, he said, adding, that under the mega project, railway tracks and roads networks from Peshawar to Dera Ismail would be laid.

He said that CPEC also envisaged an Industrial Park in Dera Ismail Khan, which would provide jobs to the local youth.

He also urged the parents to provide technical education to their children to equip them with the skills for getting jobs in the industrial units being executed as part of the multi-billion project.

Pervez Khattak said the provincial government had taken a number of initiatives for the welfare of the people.

The chief minister said that leaders had devastated the country by ruthlessly plundering the national resources and making interference in public institutions.

“The PTI government has put the country on the road to progress and prosperity by putting an end to political interference and checking plundering of resources and corruption,” he added.

He said that the present government, besides record legislation, had strived for CPEC and other rights of the province.

Provincial ministers Sikandar Sherpao, Ikramullah Gandapur, Mehmood Khan, Members of Provincial Assembly Jehandad Khan, Samiullah Alizai, Ehtesham Javed Akbar, District Nazim Dera Ismail Khan, dignitaries and a large number of people were present on the occasion.

The chief minister said that PTI chief Imran Khan had given a vision of investment on the people and the present government was taking steps to make the vision a reality.