A major chunk of the annual development programme (ADP) has been restricted to Lower and Upper Dir in the head of road construction while the central and southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been ignored, Pakistan Today has learnt.
According to official documents, the provincial government has allocated Rs 13,500 million for roads construction and its widening. Out of this amount, Rs 10,997.5 million has been earmarked for 191 outgoing schemes while Rs 2,502 million has been allocated for 138 new schemes. In the head of Communication and Works, a 41 per cent increase has been brought for improving the standard of roads.
However, despite dilapidated condition of roads in other district of the province, a major portion of the budget has been diverted to Lower Dir and Upper Dir, where Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) elected members operate in coalition with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
The condition of roads in central and southern districts of the province is regrettable, especially in Torghar, Buner and Swat. However, a major portion of the ADP pie has been reserved for Dir roads, namely Odigram to Haya Serai, Shakooced Road, Showdas-Fazl Abad Road, Kambatar Burhanay Road, Dir Upper Salam Kot Road, Nasrat Darra Road, Darora Road, Sharmakand, Kumrat Road, Dogdara Usehrai Darra Road, Sultan Khail Darra Road, Karo Darra, Lughman Banda and Nehag Darra roads.
In the previous budget, JI chief Sirajul Haq had to face the opposition’s criticism for diverting most of the funds to Upper and Lower Dir. However, despite the opposition’s reservations, a huge portion of the developmental budget has been allocated to Dir.