Rs11b rural sanitation drive launched

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Thursday formally launched the province's first-of-its-kind initiative to improve sanitation in rural areas, titled "Pak Saaf o Shafaf Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa." The flagship program, costing over Rs11 billion, will cover all 3,633 village councils (VCs) across the province.

Under the scheme, a total of 11,388 sanitation workers have been recruited, four per VC in the plains (2,061 VCs) and two per VC in the hilly regions (1,572 VCs). The hiring process was conducted transparently through balloting, with 32,683 applications received and 29,822 candidates declared eligible. To facilitate waste collection, each VC has been equipped with a loader rickshaw, sanitation kits, and uniforms for the workers.

In addition, new vehicles and machinery worth Rs3.6 billion have been procured for Tehsil Municipal Administrations (TMAs), including 392 tractors and 315 mini dumpers, to ensure efficient waste disposal. Oversight committees have also been set up at the VC level under the Local Government Act to sustain the effort.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Gandapur described the initiative as a "true public service project, above politics and political affiliations." He emphasized the religious and civic importance of cleanliness, recalling that "cleanliness is half of faith," and lamented that rural areas had long been neglected in this regard.