SHANGLA: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan inaugurated the 132KV grid station in Shang, Bisham, here on Wednesday and said that they were making efforts to streamline supply of electricity in the province.

He also upgraded the tehsil headquarters hospital from category D to category C besides inaugurating a bus stand.

“We are trying to streamline the supply of electricity and Pesco has been focusing on recovery of dues and filling vacancies. Issues related to power supply would be streamlined very soon,” the chief minister said while addressing the ceremony arranged for inauguration of the grid station in Shang.

He said that transmission lines and transformers would also be upgraded gradually.

“I am not making false promises like others and will announce workable schemes. The opposition and former rulers are responsible for the current inflation because they had borrowed huge loans from foreign countries and institutions,” Mr Khan claimed.

Inaugurates grid station in Bisham

He announced that a power supply line would be given to Chakesar tehsil from the newly-built 132KV grid station.

He said that they had planned to establish shelter homes in every district and in the first phase the initiative would be implemented in divisional headquarters to facilitate non-locals in these areas.

The chief minister said that Sehat Insaf Cards would be given to all people of the province through the national identity cards. He also announced a special water supply project for Bisham city and its surrounding villages.

He said that the people of Pakistan would always stand by their Kashmiri brethren.

Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai said on this occasion that the grid station was a longstanding demand of the local people as they were facing the problems of low voltage and power outages.

“I am also thankful to Amir Muqam who had approved the grid station project during his tenure. However, now the PTI government finalised it and it has the right to inaugurate the same,” he said.

He said that the chief minister had allocated funds for links roads, water supply schemes and other projects in the budget for fiscal year 2019-20, which would be spent on development of the district.

A Pesco official said on this occasion that it would take two more days to energise the grid station and work in this regard was in progress. He urged the local people and the minister to help the Pesco in recovery of arrears in the area. He said that the Pesco would also change the old and rusted poles and transmission lines for safe and secure power supply.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2019