Federal govt mulls over uplift package for G-B

The federal government along with the Gilgit-Baltistan administration mulled over announcing a comprehensive development package for more than a dozen sectors of the region, including power, infrastructure, tourism, trade, e-commerce, agriculture, livestock, fisheries, Information Technology, telecommunication and health.

According to sources, other sectors of G-B, including management of hospital, minerals, small industries, development of private sector, women and youth, eradication of poverty, social welfare and education were also part of the package.

The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives Asad Umar and attended by G-B Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed, according to the source.

Under the Planning Commission deputy chairman, an inter-ministerial committee was constituted to prepare the development plan while an apex committee led by G-B chief minister was formed for execution and supervision of the projects.

During the course of meeting, Umar noted the uplift of underdeveloped areas of the region was neglected for long, while it was one of the top priorities of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf government.

He vowed the federal government along with the administration of the region would devise a joint strategy for people of G-B and directed the departments concerned to work on probable projects under a public-private partnership.

On the occasion, the G-B chief minister lauded the initiative taken by the federal government for people of the region and hoped that projects under the uplift package would commence and complete in due time.