CM Mahmood Khan promises relief to people

MANSEHRA: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Saturday said his government would earmark a budget under the development head to provide relief to the people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that he could understand the problems being faced by the poverty-stricken people because of the high inflation in the province.

“I am going to allocate a part of Rs150 billion development funds to pass on relief to people in the face of inflation,” he said while speaking at a gathering in Baffa.

The chief minister performed the groundbreaking of the Siran Right Bank Canal project and Nawazabad Mundi Mali Road. He also announced the establishment of a medical college and other projects for the district.

Mahmood Khan performed the groundbreaking of a playground in Baffa, which would be completed at a cost of Rs700 million. The chief minister announced the establishment of a medical college and sports stadium in Mansehra. He announced the construction of a teaching hospital for Hazara region under public private partnership and to give subdivision status to Baffa.

“I appreciate Prime Minister Imran Khan who launched the country’s highest relief package of Rs135 billion and I would follow suit and divert money earmarked in the budget under the development head,” he said.

He said the KP government was going to launch an education card scheme for the youngsters as henceforth the money would never be a problem for them to pursue their higher education dream anywhere in the country and the government would bear all those expenses incurred on the education under that scheme.

“The previous governments received kickbacks and commissions in the development projects and raised the cost of motorways and other development projects,” he said.

The chief minister also announced the upgradation of the Baffa-Pakhal tehsil to a Sub-Division.

He said that the federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati should expand the railway track from its tail end to Havelian to Mansehra.

He also announced the establishment of two degree colleges, upgradation of dozens of primary, middle and high schools and other projects on the demand of the federal parliamentary secretary MNA Salah Mohammad Khan.

The chief minister laid the foundation stone of 9 km Kotli Payeen to Chattarplain Road and rehabilitation of 17 km Mansehra to Uttar Sheesha Road. These projects would be completed at a cost of Rs150 million and Rs207 million respectively.

The chief minister said that development projects worth Rs42 billion were underway in Mansehra. He said that practical work on Mansehra Grater Water Supply Scheme would be launched within three months, adding that the matter for establishment of Siran Development Authority would be deliberated.

He added that substantial progress would be made on the new Balakot City project within the next five months.

The chief minister stated that in the next two years record development projects would be initiated in Mansehra.

Earlier, Salah Mohammad Khan presented a list of demands to the chief minister, which he approved.

Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed said that Karakoram Highway would be blacktopped from Mansehra to Shinkiari.

“The Prime Minister Imran Khan has for the first time spent Rs66 billion on the tourism promotion to attract foreign tourists to the country,” he said.

The federal ministers Umar Ayub, Azam Khan Swati and MNA Salah Mohammad Khan and MPA Ahmad Hussain Shah also addressed the gathering.