PESHAWAR: In a significant step towards improving public health and hygiene in rural areas, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Tuesday announced the launch of a province-wide rural sanitation program.
The initiative, introduced under the Local Government Department, aims to provide dedicated sanitation services to over 2,000 village councils in the province.
The program, discussed during a high-level meeting, marks a historic milestone for the province. In the first phase, sanitation services will be extended to 2,061 rural union councils.
The program is backed by an initial budget of Rs 5.5 billion, with each union council recruiting a team of four sanitation workers on a daily wage basis. The recruitment process will follow strict merit-based criteria, ensuring transparency.
The sanitation workers will be responsible for door-to-door waste collection and transporting garbage to designated Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) collection points. Each union council will be equipped with a loader vehicle and the necessary cleaning equipment to facilitate the process.
To ensure smooth implementation, the program will be overseen by the Assistant Commissioners, Tehsil Municipal Officers, and Assistant Directors of the Local Government Department in each area.
A robust monitoring mechanism will also be put in place to guarantee effectiveness and accountability. Local government representatives and committees will play an active role in the execution of the program.
Following formal approval in the upcoming provincial cabinet meeting, the program is set to launch on August 14, 2025. The second phase of the program will extend sanitation services to rural union councils in the mountainous regions of KP.
CM Gandapur called the initiative a “signature program” of the current government, emphasizing its potential to not only enhance cleanliness in rural areas but also create thousands of employment opportunities. He urged concerned officials to ensure the program is implemented within the set timelines, adhering to transparency and compliance with existing rules.
Additionally, he stressed the importance of developing a sustainable long-term strategy to maintain the program beyond its initial phase.
