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Thursday March 28, 2024

CM wants land for social welfare complexes acquired

By Bureau report
October 31, 2019

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the district administrations concerned to take immediate measures for identification and acquisition of land for the establishment of social welfare complexes in the merged tribal districts.

He also directed that the livelihood opportunities and resources should also be provided to the special people of tribal districts. The CM was presiding over a progress review meeting of the social welfare department at CMHouse. Principal Secretary to CM Shahab Ali, Social Welfare secretary and others attended the meeting, said a handout.

Mahmood Khan stressed the need for all-time activation and supervision of Panahgahs (Shelter homes) in Peshawar and all divisional headquarters.He agreed with specimen of senior citizens card designed for the provision of incentives to senior citizens in the province. The CM directed rules under relevant law should also be devised.

He indicated that the Vagrancy Act for the social security measures for beggars and action against professional beggars would also be approved in the upcoming session of the provincial assembly. Briefing about the eight priority projects under the social welfare department, the meeting was told that eight Panagahs have been established in different divisional headquarters of the province while the establishment of Panagahs in Wana and Khyber is in progress for which additional resources have been requested from the federal government through P&D department.

To provide incentives to senior citizens of the province, up to 7,85000 senior citizens have been registered. The special counter at the Lady Reading Hospital has also been established while instructions have been issued to all chief executive officers of all medical teaching institutes and district headquarters hospitals for the establishment of special counters. The meeting was briefed in details about the measures for social security of beggars and action against professional beggars and told that the Vagrancy Act has been prepared and submitted to the Provincial Assembly for approval.

Action against professional beggars would be initiated through district governments after the enactment of the proposed law. Expansion of ZamungKor (Model Institute for State Children) to divisional headquarters is also under process. The PC-1 of non-ADP scheme is ready in this respect.

Briefing about the detoxification and rehabilitation of drug addicts, it was disclosed that both the facilities detoxification and rehabilitation of drug addicts would be available under the one roof at all divisional headquarters. Tailoring and other skills training is also being provided in rehabilitation centres so that these people could initiate their own business. The meeting was told that three centres of Women Skill Development in Swat, Karak and Nowshera are operational while operationalisation of two new skills development centres is under process.

Child protection units are also being established at divisional headquarters including merged areas. Child protection helpline 1121 has been operationalised on the provincial level and two kiosks has been established.The meeting was told that all the initiatives under the social welfare department are being extended to newly merged districts.

The chief minister directed to expedite the social welfare activities in the merged districts so that relief could be given to the tribal people because they have suffered a lot.