SWABI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Saturday inaugurated work on two mega water projects to ensure provision of drinking and irrigation water to the people of Swabi district.

These projects would cost Rs12 billion.

“The start of work on the Pehur High Level Canal Extension Project and Utla Dam is a proof that the government is working for welfare of the people,” they said while addressing a ceremony held to inaugurate work on the Utla Dam project.

The chief minister said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leadership fulfilled the pledge it had made with the people of the district during the election campaign.

“Water is life and the inauguration of work on the dam project is a step to provide potable water to people of the whole area,” he said.

Mahmood Khan says govt focusing on welfare-oriented projects in province

Pehur High Level Canal Extension Project will cost Rs10.15 billion with a command area of 30,500 acres, including future extension of 10,930 acres.

The project will increase agriculture production from 5,000 metric tons to 115,000 metric tons. The project comprises 78km long canal system and it will be completed in three years.

The chief minister said that Gadoon Amazai which remained deprived of basic civic amenities would get the civic facilities on priority.

“The problems of the people of Gadoon Amazai that included health, roads and education would be resolved,” he declared. He announced to set up a modern hospital and two higher secondary schools for girls in the area.

Mahmood Khan claimed that the provincial government was focused on people’s welfare-oriented projects in the province and it had been working with complete determination for eradication of corruption from the society.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan wants a corruption-free Pakistan,” he said.

He said that former rulers were responsible for the prevailing economic mess in the country. He said that majority of former rules were now behind bars for their involvement in corrupt practices.

Speaking on the occasion, NA Speaker Asad Qaiser said that with the completion of Utla dam, the people of Utla village and its surrounding villages would no longer confront drinking water problem.

Mr Qaisar said that PTI had already completed record projects in the previous tenure in the province and now was expected to initiate and complete more projects.

He said that it was the first time that a huge project had been initiated at Gadoon Amazai by the government while the previous parliamentarians had ignored the people.

KP Governor Shah Farman, provincial information minister Shaukat Yousafzai and MPAs were also present on the occasion.

The Utla Dam is a drinking water project and the Pehur High Level Canal (PHLC) extension project an irrigation scheme. The cost of Utla Dam has jumped from Rs1billion to nearly Rs2 billion due to delay in commencing work on this project.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2019