K-P unveils Rs1,000b merged districts plan

'Bright Tribes' package to boost education, health, infrastructure, and job creation

PESHAWAR:

Under the chairmanship of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi, a high-level meeting was held to finalize a comprehensive development package for the province's merged districts.

The meeting reviewed the proposed framework and priority sectors aimed at promoting sustainable economic and social growth in these historically underdeveloped areas.

Officials briefed the meeting that investments would be made across six thematic areas, with the total package valued at Rs1,000 billion, officially named 'Bright Tribes'. Speaking at the session, the Chief Minister emphasized that the package would prioritize infrastructure, human resource development, and job creation to bring the merged districts at par with other developed regions of the province.

The package will include the establishment of Tribal Medical Colleges, Institutes of Modern Sciences, and digital cities. Districts and tehsils lacking district or tehsil headquarters hospitals will see these facilities established under the plan. Additionally, a modern sports complex will be built in each district, with sports grounds at the tehsil level to provide youth with avenues for healthy activities.

CM Afridi also instructed integrating markets and roads into the Safe City initiative, converting schools, health centers, and markets to solar energy, and establishing orphanages and shelters in every tehsil. Each tehsil will also receive a dedicated Rescue 1122 station.

The briefing highlighted a strong emphasis on increasing investment in education and health for sustainable development. The package includes the creation of 1,245 new primary schools, upgrades to hundreds of existing schools, the restoration of 1,340 schools, recruitment of 11,500 teachers, and provision of various scholarships. In health, rehabilitation of facilities and the establishment of telemedicine centers in district hospitals will be prioritized.

Infrastructure development will focus on roads, irrigation, check dams, clean drinking water, and industrial facilities. Agricultural, livestock, forestry, youth, sports, municipal, relief, and science and technology initiatives are also included to ensure inclusive growth across the merged districts.

Similarly, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has completed feasibility studies for four underpasses and one flyover on Peshawar's Ring Road, with the total project cost expected to exceed Rs9 billion. The project's advertisement is anticipated to be issued in the third week of January.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ikram Khattak highlighted that PTI has previously successfully completed flagship projects like the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which currently serves nearly 300,000 commuters daily. The BRT provides transportation facilities across most city areas, extending up to Nowshera Pabbi, showcasing the PTI government's tangible performance.

For the upcoming BRT expansion between Jamrud and Barda Bazar, a ramp will be constructed at the Karkhano Station at a cost of Rs50 million. Additionally, 12 new buses, each 12 meters long, will be purchased.

The project plans to establish eight bus stops along the 5 km route from Karkhano Market to Jamrud Bazar, and 10 bus stops along the 7 km stretch from Pashtakhra to Barda Bazar, ensuring residents have safe and dignified travel options.