PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to start free meal programme in public sector primary schools.

Free meals would be provided to children in primary schools in urban areas of all the divisional headquarters across the province.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur.

Provincial minister for primary and secondary education Faisal Khan Tarakai, adviser to chief minister on finance, Muzamil Aslam, additional chief secretary planning and development Syed Imtiaz Hussain Shah and chief executive officer of a private welfare organisation, Allahwale Trust, Shahid Lone and others were also present, according to an official statement issued from the Chief Minister’s Office on Monday.

It was decided that initially, the initiative would be started on pilot basis in Abbottabad and Swat, which would later be extended to other divisional headquarters.

Under the programme, around 70,000 children would be provided free and quality food daily, the statement said, adding the programme was estimated at Rs500 million annually, which would be borne by the provincial government.

It was further decided that the social welfare department would sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the private welfare organisation for implementation of the proposed initiative.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Gandapur said the programme was another important welfare initiative of his government. He added it would also help increase enrolment in government schools.

Mr Gandapur said spending maximum resources on people was part of the vision of former prime minister Imran Khan, and his government would also start more such welfare projects.

He directed the authorities concerned to finalise the action plan as soon as possible for effectively implementing the initiative.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2024