KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has said that a huge sum of Rs.162 billion has been allocated for newly merged Districts in the current fiscal year that is an almost three time higher than last year. Talking to a delegation in the Chief Minister's House here Saturday, he said that the developmental budget of newly merged Districts is Rs. 83 billon that is also highest ever in the history. Rs. 12 billion released by the federal government reached the provincial government on September 13 along with Rs. 10 billion released in June were actually being spent in first quarter of this year. The Chief Minister said with cash flow available from mid of September spending has immediately being increased adding that Rs. 2.2 billion have been spent in the last three weeks.

He said that the incumbent government is committed towards the rapid development and integration of newly merged Districts and has undertaken record developmental initiatives in the Tribal Districts during the last few months. First time in the 72 years long history of Pakistan, Tribal Pakhtuns have been given full representation in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.

Mahmood Khan said his government has done a lot in the Tribal Districts over this short period of time adding that under the pro poor initiative of the provincial government, Sehat Insaf Card has been extended to all the newly merged Districts and each and every house hold of merged Districts are being provided this facility through their NIC.

Newly merged Districts are the only area of Pakistan to benefit in such a way. He further stated under the Insaf Rozgar scheme, Rs 1.5 billion is already in circulation in newly merged Districts. Under the Scheme, Interest free loans have been provided to youth in order to enable them to stand on their own feet. He revealed another Rs. 1 billion is also ready for disbursement under this scheme. The Torkham border has been opened for 24/7 and this is coupled with the approval of Peshawar to Torkham Motorway and a new border terminal costing $400 million.

He kept on saying that the provincial government has also solved number of intractable issues such as regularization of Levies and Khasadars and up-gradation of their salary packages in line with the Police. Recruitment on more than 17,000 posts is underway in the newly merged Districts which will further transform delivery of services.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019