PM Imran for fair land acquisition, enhanced forestation under Kashmir package

ISLAMABAD, Oct 29 (APP):Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday chaired a review meeting on Kashmir Development Package wherein he directed the authorities concerned to retrieve the state land in a fair manner and carry out forestation after recovery.

He said while removing the encroachments, the poor people should be provided with an alternative. Moreover, he also called for providing facilities to the vendors on the pattern of Islamabad.
The prime minister said along with the promotion of tourism, the protection of forest cover was also equally essential.

The meeting was attended by Kashmir Affairs Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Finance Advisor Shaukat Fayaz Tarin, Prime Minister of AJK Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi, AJK Finance Minister Abdul Majid Khan and relevant senior officers.
The participants of the meeting were briefed on the proposed projects and their cost estimates under the Kashmir Development Package, as well as other ongoing uplift works there and administrative reforms introduced by the AJK government.

The package comprises the construction of highways, bridges and tunnels and projects of urban management.
It was told that the improvement of infrastructure would lead to the promotion of tourism besides facilitating the traffic movement.
The meeting was told that during the initial months, the government had not only carried out a major operation against encroachments but also disposed of around 1200 tons of waste.

Besides energy projects, the package also features tourism projects to link the tourist areas through roads. Moreover, land has been identified for the development of skiing resort.
The development package also marked the allocation of huge funds for health and educational facilities besides providing basic facilities to schools and colleges. Mega projects for industrial development as well as environmental protection also part of the package, it was told.

The participants were also told that the scope of federal government projects including social security, health card, youth program, incentives for farmers and low-cost houses would also be extended to AJK.