MANSEHRA: Parliamentary secretary for water resources MNA Saleh Mohammad Khan has said that the federal government will spend over Rs2 billion for provision of civic services in Mansehra city and its suburbs.

“The prime minister has given approval of Rs2 billion development funds for paving streets, constructing sewerage lines and other such schemes under a civic services project which would shortly be executed here,” he told a ceremony arranged for inaugurating work on laying gas pipeline in Chakia Mera area here on Sunday. PTI divisional spokesman Ajmal Khan Swati also addressed the gathering.

The parliamentary secretary said that the government had been executing natural gas and electricity supply schemes across Mansehra district.

“We have supplied natural gas to most parts of the district and the areas without such facilities have been included in the fresh proposals,” said Mr Khan. He said his party was giving priority to bringing backward areas on a par with the developed ones.

Says govt giving priority to uplift of backward areas

Speaking on the occasion, Ajmal Khan said the party lawmakers and senators were active in addressing the civic and other issues being faced by the people.

ROAD IN BAD SHAPE: The blacktopping of Datta-Bujia road couldn’t be initiated even a year after the release of Rs10 million funds for it by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

“The government had released Rs10 million for the blacktopping of this important artery a year ago in order to address difficulties being faced by the people of several villages, but work could not be started as yet,” former councillor Mohammad Javed told mediapersons here on Sunday.

Led by Mr Javed, a group of local residents said that Datta-Bujia road was being used for travel by residents of several villages.

“Besides other difficulties, we can’t easily shift our patients to the hospitals in Mansehra and Abbottabad because of bad condition of the road,” said Mr Javed.

Another former councillor Mohammad Khursheed said if work on the road was not initiated anytime soon they would hold a demonstration for acceptance of their demand.

They demanded of the government to start work on blacktopping of the area road.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2021