CM Afridi stresses timely completion of development projects in KP

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednesday directed the departments concerned to ensure that ongoing development schemes are completed on time, saying the effort was essential for faster economic growth, improved public services and stronger governance across the province.

The directives were issued during a meeting he chaired to review the use of development funds and the pace of work on major projects in the province, according to an official statement.

Health and education remain priorities

During the meeting, the chief minister said health and education continued to rank among the provincial government’s top development priorities. He added that the next Annual Development Programme would also maintain a particular focus on these two sectors.

Mr Afridi said providing quality healthcare was a basic responsibility of the government and stressed that there would be no compromise on improving public access to essential medical services. He also pointed to the increasing patient load on major hospitals in Peshawar, saying it required greater attention, better planning and targeted investment in the health sector.

He said the provincial government was pursuing a comprehensive strategy aimed at strengthening healthcare infrastructure and improving service delivery in response to rising public demand.

Focus on near-completion schemes

Reaffirming the government’s development agenda, the chief minister said projects carrying significant public importance, especially those close to completion, would be prioritised so that their benefits could reach communities without unnecessary delay.

Mr Afridi also underscored the government’s commitment to transparent, efficient and timely use of development resources, saying all-out efforts would be made to ensure that the gains of public investment extended to every region and segment of society in the province.

Fund utilisation reviewed

The meeting reviewed spending and implementation progress under the provincial Annual Development Programme, the Merged Districts ADP, the Accelerated Implementation Programme and various foreign-assisted development projects.

Officials informed the meeting that the Merged Districts ADP was leading in fund utilisation, with 94 per cent of released funds spent so far. They said utilisation under the Accelerated Implementation Programme had reached 92 per cent, while 88 per cent of released funds under the provincial ADP had been used to date.