Muzaffarabad: (Parliament Times) Minister for Information, Tourism and Information Technology Mushtaq Minhas has said that government has so far utilized 97% of released developmental funds successfully during the ongoing financial year.
Briefing the media after meeting of the Cabinet Development Committee (CDC) here at Directorate General Pubic Relations on Tuesday the Information minister said that CDC approved 20 projects in its session on Tuesday which included 15 projects of roads and 3 bridges. These projects he said cost over Rs. 15.15 billions, he added.
The Minister told the reporters that 3 road projects of defense significance, on the move of Pak Army were also approved by the CDC. He said the approval for setting up regional office of the Pakistan Bait ul Mal and up gradation of Kashmir Institute of Cardiology was also accorded by the CDC.
He said a committee led by secretary Planning and Development, for the eradication of environmental pollution and to take review and resolve the Issue of shortage of drinking water in rural areas was also formed, secretary Local Government, Chief Engineer CDO, chief Planning and Development Department and rural water supply specialist would be among the other members of the committee.
Minister for Information said that Up-gradation of Kashmir Institute of Cardiology in District Mirpur, Land and Structure compensation for proposed pre stressed RCC Bridge near Darbar Shah Sultan in District Muzaffarabad, Construction of BhediDoba Hydro Power Project in District Haveli, Reconditioning of Sehnsa-Sarsawa Road and Mai TotiDarbar-Khuiratta to RajdhaniSohana Road in District Kotli, Improvement & Reconditioning of Dudyal-Seyakh Road in District Mirpur, Improvement & Reconditioning of Bhimber-Jatlan Road in District Bhimber, Dhulli-Lasdana Road in District Bagh , Construction of PCC link road DarbarBajiAlif Din (late) Kalamulain District Haveli,Goin Nullah- Rawalakot Road, Dawarandi-Tettrinote-Abbaspur Road, Azad Pattan-Pallandri Road, Up-gradation of Pallandri to Kulla Road, Mang to Pallandri via Challar Road in District Sudhnoti, Construction of Strategic Roads i.e.Ashkot-Chejward Road in District Neelum, Basuti-Sher Camp Road in District Bagh and Mong-Goin Nullah in District Sudhnoti were also approved.
Secretary Information, Tourism and IT Midhat Shahzad and DG Information Raja Azhar Iqbal were also present on the occasion.
It is worth to mention here that Cabinet Development Committee (CDC) in its extra-ordinary meeting approved 20 projects costing over 5 billion rupees. The meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan was attended by Raja Nisar Ahmed Khan, Dr. Najeeb Naqi, Sardar Mir Akbar Khan, Ch. Muhammad Aziz, Ms Noureen Arif, Shoukat Ali Shah, Mushtaq Minhas and others whereas chief secretary Dr. Ejaz Mounir, secretaries and heads of the relevant departments were present on the occasion. The schemes approved by the Committee were related to communication, Roads, health, irrigation and sanitation sectors.
Speaking on the occasion, Raja Farooq Haider said that the government has so far utilized 97% of development funds on different projects saying that proper use of development budget has been incumbent government’s top priority. Since federal government has doubled the development budget the PM said that making proper and fair use of development funds was the biggest challenge and indeed a test for the AJK government. He, however, maintained that as for as the good governance was concerned there would be no compromise on timely execution of the quality of work on the projects.