Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to launch 'Taleem Card' project, with the pilot phase set to commence in Upper Chitral.
This decision was made during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur at the Chief Minister House in Peshawar.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Faisal Khan Tarakai, Advisor to the Chief Minister for Finance Muzzammil Aslam, Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Masood Ahmad, and other officials.
Chief Minister described the Taleem Card as a flagship project of his government aimed at enabling students from backward areas to access quality education from reputable institutions.
He emphasized the importance of swiftly mobilizing resources and preparing the necessary arrangements to ensure the project's quick start. The education and finance departments were specifically directed to expedite these efforts in the shortest possible time.
The decision to pilot the project in Upper Chitral was made following a briefing by Chief Secretary, who provided insights from his recent visit to the area.
The visit was conducted at the Chief Minister's directive to assess the situation in Upper Chitral following the glacier outburst event.
In response to the briefing, the Chief Minister inquired about the short- and long-term planning needs for supporting the displaced population. He further directed the relevant authorities to explore all possible options for providing housing solutions to those affected by the disaster.
A sustainable plan for long-term rehabilitation was also mandated.
The meeting also addressed other initiatives aimed at improving education in remote and underdeveloped areas.
In line with a promise made to the top-scoring female student in the recent board examinations, the Chief Minister instructed the education department to expedite the establishment of a school in Shangla, the student's home district.
During a prize distribution ceremony, it was revealed that the student, supported by her father, had to travel long distances to receive a private education due to the lack of a local school, ultimately securing the top position in her exams.
Chief Minister also has approved a modern bus service project for Peshawar.
The bus service will cover area starting from Chamkani to Hayatabad. The Chief Minister has approved the initiation of this modern transport service under public-private partnership.
The bus service will operate from Chamkani via Ring Road to Itwar Bazaar in Hayatabad.
Initially, 100 buses will be operated. According to government sources, the purpose of the service is to provide better travel facilities to the public and to reduce the burden on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).
The bus service will be able to accommodate 150,000 passengers daily. The number of buses will be increased to 200 with the passage of time.
BRT is unable to cover the entire district despite tall claims at the time of its inception by the PTI government.
It may be mentioned here that TransPeshawar, the provincial government department managing the BRT, has announced an increase in fares for the BRT system, effective from July 22.
In a statement, TransPeshawar detailed a minimum fare increase of Rs5. The fare for short distances will rise from Rs15 to Rs20, while the fare for the longest route will increase from Rs55 to Rs60. The single journey ticket price will go up from Rs50 to Rs60.
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