ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan has informed the National Assembly that it had initiated almost 15,000 projects amounting to Rs 8 billion in AJK for development of rural areas since the year 2013-14.
“Almost 15,000 projects costing around Rs 8illion for providing basic amenities and rural infrastructure development were initiated from FY 2013-14 in AJ&K under local Govt. and Rural Development sector for uplift of rural communities,”, the ministry said in a written reply.
Giving details of the projects, the ministry said during the period rural water supply coverage had been increased from 46 percent to 56 percent, providing clean drinking water facility to 0.8 million rural population.
Around 700 kilometers fair weather roads and 300 km metaled roads were constructed for better connectivity and provide farm to market communication facilities.
The ministry said 125 suspension and foot bridges were repaired/constructed for rural access, besides 150 Playgrounds were provided to primary educational institutions.
During the period, sanitation facilities were extend to one million rural population.
Since 2016-17, the ministry said, a special programme for community infrastructure was launched under which over 1,500 small projects were completed benefiting over 0.35 million population.
The programme is being continued in the current year with higher allocation of Rs 1.3 billion aims at improving living standard of the rural population as well as socio economic uplift of the region.
