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PESHAWAR, Jul 08 (APP):In a major step toward improving hygiene and public health, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Tuesday approved a province-wide rural sanitation program under the Local Government Department.
The initiative, unveiled in a high-level meeting, aims to bring dedicated sanitation services to over 2,000 village councils in the first phase, marking the first such effort in the province’s history.
An official communique issued here said that in the first phase, the program will be launched in 2,061 rural union councils across the province.
An initial budget of Rs 5.5 billion has been proposed for its implementation. Under the program, each union council will recruit a team of four sanitation workers on a daily wage basis. The recruitment will follow a transparent and merit-based process.
These sanitation workers will carry out door-to-door waste collection and transport garbage to designated Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) collection points. To facilitate this, each union council will be equipped with a loader vehicle and necessary cleaning equipment.
The implementation of the program will be overseen by the respective Assistant Commissioner, Tehsil Municipal Officer, and Assistant Director Local Government. A comprehensive monitoring mechanism will also be established to ensure effective execution and accountability.
To ensure the program’s success, elected local government representatives and committees will be actively involved in the process.
Following formal approval in the upcoming provincial cabinet meeting, the program will be officially launched, with efforts underway to begin implementation by August 14, 2025.
In the second phase, the program will be extended to union councils in the mountainous regions of the province.
The CM described the initiative as a signature program of the current government and emphasized that it would not only ensure cleanliness in rural areas but also generate thousands of employment opportunities.
He directed concerned officials to take all necessary measures to implement the program within the set timelines, ensuring compliance with existing rules and full transparency in the hiring process.
He further stressed the importance of developing a long-term strategy to sustain the program beyond its initial phase.