COVID-19 Badly Hampered Development Process In State As Elsewhere In The Country: AJK Prime Minister:

May 15 (APP):Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan said on Friday the coronavirus pandemic has badly hampered the ongoing development process in the state as elsewhere in the country

MIRPUR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th May, 2020 ) : Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan said on Friday the coronavirus pandemic has badly hampered the ongoing development process in the state as elsewhere in the country.

Presiding over a development review meeting in the State's metropolis on Friday, he hoped complete and transparent utilization of development funds by the end of the fiscal year.

Lauding the performance and capacity of the state institutions, the Prime Minister said that all ongoing development projects would be completed in stipulated time.

He said after permission of the Federal government, the AJK had also decided to continue work on the ongoing development projects with practicing the safety SOP. "We, while tackling the COVID-19, have to run the state affairs as well", he added.

The Prime Minister said that PML-N government in state has completed its four years and claimed to be successful enough in implementing its manifesto. He gave its credit to the parliamentary party.

"We tried our level best to come-up to the expectations of the people. We will present our five years ACR to the public. If they will be satisfied with our performance, they may trust us again", the PM added.

Sharing the highlights of the performance of present government, he further said that our government not only strengthened the institutions but also restored merit.

"What we've done had never done in past", he claimed.

Raja Farooq Haider added that present government had enhanced capacity of cabinet development committee (CDC) and working development party (WDP) for which, he expressed gratitude to former Prime Ministers Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

He also thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan who continued to provide the required resources to the state.

The Prime Minister said due to better planning of the government, financial discipline was improved in the state. "We timely provided the funds for the project, which significantly helped in time completion. The projects of PM Community Infrastructure Development Programs were also completed in stipulated time maintaining the quality and transparency", he added.

Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary (Development) Dr. Syed Asif Hussain in his briefing told that government has utilized 71 percent of the development funds till March 31.

He said we were expecting hundreds percent utilization of development funds till 15th June before coronavirus pandemic in the region. "We still have time, hundreds percent utilization of development funds would be ensured by the end of the financial year", the ACS hoped.