KP to introduce free meal programme for students

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government decided to launch a free meal programme for students of primary schools, ARY News reported.

According to the details, the pilot project will initially be launched in Abbottabad and Swat which will be expanded to other divisional headquarters of the province.

Approximately 70,000 kids will receive regular meals every day as part of the program. The scheme will cost approximately Rs 500 million a year, which the province government will pay for.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the initiative will be signed by the Department of Social Welfare and private charitable organisations.

A committee comprising officials from the Education and Social Welfare departments would be formed to oversee the progress of the free food programme in schools.

Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur said that the programme is another welfare initiative of the provincial government.

Ali Amin Gandapur said that the standard meals would be provided to students free of cost in government schools, which he said would help increase enrollment in these schools.

Earlier on July 11, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced to provide free solar panels to 100,000 needy households in the province.

In an interview to a foreign media outlet, Advisor to the Chief Minister on Finance, Muzammil Aslam said that the provincial government would also provide a complete setup of two kilowatt including batteries, DC fans and inverters.

Muzammil Aslam said that a total of 100,000 households will be provided with free solar panel setup. The CM Advisor on Finance said that the provincial government has established more than 90 power plants.

Muzammil Aslam said that the electricity is being generated at Rs 6 to Rs 7 per unit in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding that the same is being provided at Rs 27 per unit by the WAPDA.