PESHAWAR, Aug 22 (APP):Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan said that developing of merged tribal areas is top most priority of present Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and currently 515 mega projects worth Rs. 59 billion have been initiated to bring people at par with other developed areas of the province.
Talking to APP in an exclusive interview, the Chief Minister said that sustainable development of merged districts and welfare of people of those areas was among the priorities of the government adding that the provincial government would utilize all available resources for this purpose.
In response to a question, the Chief Minister said that all the concerned district administrations have been directed to wisely utilize the available resources in order to provide maximum relief to people of those areas and resolve their genuine issues on priority.
He informed that focus has been given on provision of clean drinking water, roads connectivity along with health and education sectors with other projects under Prime Minister 1000 Playground facilities in six Tribal Sub-Divisions (TSDs).
He said a total of 515 developmental projects have been planned for these sub-divisions out of which 375 developmental projects would be implemented through the Annual Developmental Program whereas remaining 140 schemes would be executed under accelerated implementation program of the merged areas.
The Chief Minister Mahmood Khan disclosed that the total estimated cost of these 515 projects was Rs. 59 billion.
He said, special focus has been given to the key sectors of the areas adding that developmental projects costing to Rs. 2.97 billion have been reflected for Elementary & Secondary Education, Rs. 1.84 billion for Public Health Engineering, Rs. 2.43 billion for Agriculture sector, Rs. 1.11 billion for Irrigation, Rs. 8.80 billion for the Road sector and projects amounting to Rs. 2.70 billion have been reflected for Sports and Tourism sectors.
He said another Rs. 700 million has been allocated for holding sporting activities wherein hundreds and thousands of players would be involved in different healthy sports activities.
He informed that over 2000 Khasadars and 1300 Levies personnel of the said Tribal Sub-Divisions (TSDs) have been absorbed into regular police adding that all the sanctioned posts of police for these areas have been filled whereas procurement of vehicles, arms and other equipment was also in progress to strengthen the police in tribal sub-division.
He said it was decided that funds required for strengthening of police in these areas would be provided on priority basis. Similarly, concerned authorities were directed to make the alternate dispute resolution mechanism functional in the areas with the aim to resolve local disputes there on the spot.
The concerned Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners were directed to prepare a way forward for the redressal of disputes related to boundary issues of various tribes through the traditional Jirga system.
Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said there was huge sports talent in the merged tribal areas and it was his government’s topmost priority to provide playground facilities to the tribal youth under the Prime Minister 1000 Playground Project.
He said in the current fiscal year-2021-22, the government has initiated a mega project in the light of the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan wherein Rs. 3000 million has been allocated for developing sports infrastructure at Union Council (UCs) level across the province including the merged tribal area. The PC-1 has already been approved for this and will soon work on establishment of playground facilities at UCs level.
About merged tribal areas, he said, the KP government had allocated Rs 7.5 billion for the development of sports infrastructure in the merged tribal district. Allocation of Rs. 5 billion was for the establishment of new sports facilities, and Rs 2.2 billion for up-gradation and Rs. over 0.2 billion for rehabilitation of existing ones.
To promote sports activities among the youth of tribal areas, the provincial government had set the target of establishing some 204 sports facility centers in 170 Union Councils across the province, including the merged districts, with an estimated cost of Rs 5,500 million.
He said, 90 percent work has been completed over 151 sports facilities at UC level and many of them have already handed over to the Directorate of Sports KP for playing purposes which is costing Rs 1,178.97 million.
The grounds built under the PM’s vision would have climbing walls for kids, cricket academies, badminton halls, synthetic tennis courts, synthetic walking tracks, hockey turfs, basketball and volleyball courts, besides martial arts areas to promote sports culture, the Chief Minister added.
Mahmood Khan said last year the number of approved sports schemes were 96, while 108 projects for all 35 districts, including merged tribal ones, were approved this year. So far 64 out of 100 Open-Air-Gyms had been installed across the province to attract general-public to do exercise during their routine activities for better health, he added.
The CM said for the first time, facilities were being provided for 17 different popular games in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Sports Department was particularly focusing on the games in which the local players had the potential to attain medals at national and international levels, the Chief Minister said.
Under the PM’s project, he said, a climbing wall facility has been introduced at the playgrounds, which is helpful in promotion of the mountaineering game in the province.
He said so far the projects of playing facilities have been approved in different tribal districts including 11 in Khyber district, 12 in Lakki Marwat, four in Mohmand district, one in South Waziristan, 08 in Tank and 10 each in Orakzai, Khurram, North Waziristan, and Bajaur.
