<\/p>\n
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to withdraw the perks and privileges of the province\u2019s former chief ministers.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a poor country, we can\u2019t afford to provide perks and privileges to former CMs. All these facilities, including guards and government vehicles, are being taken back [from them] here,\u201d newly-elected Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur told reporters after his cabinet\u2019s first meeting at the Civil Secretariat here on Friday.<\/p>\n
Besides cabinet members, the provincial chief secretary, additional chief secretaries, and administrative secretaries of the provincial departments also attended the meeting.<\/p>\n
The CM said his government was working to improve the law-and-order situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur priority is to provide the maximum possible relief to the inflation-hit people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Gandapur said instead of talking about the past, the government would move on.<\/p>\n
He said his party had political and ideological differences with those ruling the centre but still, the provincial government wanted a good working relationship with the federal government.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe federal government has to clear our [KP\u2019s] Rs1,510 billion dues, but those payments haven\u2019t been made despite several reminders. I suggest that if the centre can\u2019t do that, it should subsidise power and gas for KP and deduct that subsidy from the province\u2019s arrears,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The CM said the cabinet, in order to provide relief to the deserving people amid high inflation, approved a Rs8.5 billion Ramazan relief package for them.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder the Ramazan Package, 850,000 households listed in the Ehsaas-Benazir Income Support Programme will be provided with Rs10,000 cash each,\u201d the chief minister said, according to an official statement issued by the CM\u2019s Secretariat.<\/p>\n
It added that 115,000 households not listed in the programme for any reason would also get Rs10,000 each.<\/p>\n
The newly-elected government has already ordered the reactivation of all langar khanas (soup kitchens) established by the last PTI government by Ramazan 1.<\/p>\n
It also said dastarkhawans (food points) would be established in district and tehsil headquarters hospitals across the province at the time of sehar and iftar during Ramazan.<\/p>\n
The CM said it was one of his government\u2019s top priorities to promote employment opportunities in the province, while special attention would be given to the development of skills in youth, who would also get interest-free loans to start their own businesses.<\/p>\n
He said in light of the prevailing economic situation and its adverse impacts on people\u2019s lives, the provision of relief to the people as well as the improvement of the law and order situation would be the top priority of the provincial government.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the first step of relief, our cabinet has decided to fully restore the Sehat Card Plus scheme from the first day of Ramazan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Gandapur said the clearance of Rs1510 billion dues by the centre would help the province overcome financial problems.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not asking the centre for charity. Instead, we are demanding our legitimate and constitutional rights,\u201d the statement quoted the CM as saying.<\/p>\n
He said he was aware of the current economic situation of the country, and therefore, he didn\u2019t demand the clearance of all its dues in a single go.<\/p>\n
\u201cA viable mechanism about the issue can be devised with mutual understanding,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Gandapur urged people to raise voice against corruption and bribery and help the government eradicate the menace. He also asked them to monitor the quality of work on development projects.<\/p>\n
He said there won\u2019t be power cuts for three hours during iftar and sehar hours in both urban and rural areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it does not happen, people need to tell us. Power outages due to technical faults can happen, but other kinds of loadshedding won\u2019t be acceptable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2024<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to withdraw the perks and privileges of the province\u2019s former chief ministers. \u201cAs a poor country, we can\u2019t afford to provide perks and privileges to former CMs. All these facilities, including guards and government vehicles, are being taken back [from them] here,\u201d newly-elected Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur 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