The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to launch a program providing free meals in public sector primary schools.
According to an official statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, the decision was made during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur. The initiative, which will initially begin as a pilot project in Abbottabad and Swat, will later expand to include all divisional headquarters in urban areas across the province.
Present at the meeting were Provincial Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Faisal Khan Tarakai, Chief Minister’s Advisor on Finance Muzamil Aslam, Additional Chief Secretary Planning and Development Syed Imtiaz Hussain Shah, and CEO of the private welfare organization Allahwale Trust, Shahid Lone, among others.
The program aims to provide free, high-quality meals to approximately 70,000 children daily. Estimated at Rs500 million annually, the initiative’s funding will be covered by the provincial government.
To implement the program, the Social Welfare Department will collaborate with the private welfare organization through a Memorandum of Understanding.
Chief Minister Gandapur emphasized that this program is a significant welfare initiative of his government, aimed at boosting enrollment in government schools. He reaffirmed his commitment to following the vision of former Prime Minister Imran Khan by maximizing resources for the people and initiating additional welfare projects.
Gandapur instructed relevant authorities to expedite the development of an action plan for effective implementation of the initiative.
