Excelsior Correspondent
URI, Oct 11: Asking people to extend a helping hand to Government in its development agenda, Minister for Medical Education, Youth Services & Sports, Taj Mohi-ud-Din today said the all round development of the State has been a priority with present Government and many big ticket projects and schemes were operationalised during the last five years.
Addressing a series of public meetings at Jabla and Gawalan, just a few kilometers inside the LoC, the Minister asked people to stand guard these achievements and they should look through the designs of vested interest elements which have no sympathy with them and are in fact harming their interests.
Responding to local demands, the Minister assured the people that he would get the establishment of some middle and primary schools in the area in view of growing number of students examined by the concerned department. He said the area has seen a revolution in road connectivity and many previous rugged terrains have now been converted into motorable roads. He said the area has good facility in terms of healthcare and schools which would be further strengthened.
Mr. Taj said the border town of Uri has seen a turnaround during last decade and the day is not far when cent per cent achievement would be recorded in critical sectors like power distribution, water supply, education and healthcare.
The Minister said that water supply distribution in Uri, which was 26% ten years ago, has risen to 97%, among the highest in the State. So is the case with power distribution, he said, which has risen from 34 % in 2002 to 85%. He said soon cent per cent coverage in water and power distribution would achieved in the town.
Mr. Taj said it was during his tenure that Uri got the first college, three higher secondary schools and 16 high schools. He said the number of middle schools, which stood at 26 before his representing the area, rose to 95. Similarly 200 more primary schools were opened in the area taking the number to 270.
The Minister said there were no filtration plants or lift irrigation schemes in Uri and 46 such filtration plants and seven lift irrigation schemes were set up during the last decade or so. He said the road length in Uri stood at 75 kilometres in 2002 which has been increased to a whopping 500 kilometres or more as more and more areas and habitations are being covered through road networks.
Mir Mushtaq Nowshehri also spoke on the occasion and appealed people to strengthen the present Coalition Government.
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