CM Mahmood Khan calls for timely completion of uplift projects

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Saturday directed all the provincial departments to ensure timely completion of all the ongoing mega development projects in the province.

He was chairing a meeting to review the progress made so far on mega development projects, said a handout. Besides Additional Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir, Administrative Secretaries of concerned departments, and officials concerned attended the meeting.

The meeting was informed that extension of health insurance scheme (Sehat Insaf Card) to the cent percent population of the province would be completed by the end of January next year. The chief minister directed the Health Department for necessary steps on an urgent basis to get liver transplant covered under the Sehat Insaf Card scheme.

He also directed the department to ensure all types of emergency medicines in all the hospitals of the province.

The meeting was informed that a PC-1 for the revamping and strengthening of Basic Health Units and conversion of 200 Basic Health Units into 24/7 health centres has been prepared and submitted to the Planning and Development department for approval.

The officials said that work was also in progress on the outsourcing of seven different hospitals of merged areas with the aim to ensure provision of standard healthcare facilities to the people of merged areas.

The forum was told that a total of 117 schools had been identified for launching double shifts adding that the double shift in these schools would formally be started by the upcoming academic year.

It was also informed that significant progress on various projects of the communication sector had been ensured adding that physical work on the Phase-II of Swat Motorway Project would be started by August next year. Similarly, PC-1 for Khyber Pass Economic Corridor Project has also been approved by ECNEC whereas hiring of consultants for this project was in progress. Furthermore, PDWP has approved PC-1 of Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan Motorway, which would soon be sent to CDWP for further approval.

Similarly, selection of consultants for 88 Megawatts Gabral-Kalam and 157 MW Medan Hydropower projects was in progress.