Maryam Nawaz approves Rs 23.85 billion Khushhal Dehat programme, Rs crore allocated for each village

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved the launch of the Khushhal Dehat Programme, a major rural development initiative

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved the launch of the Khushhal Dehat Programme, a major rural development initiative aimed at improving infrastructure, sanitation and living conditions across villages throughout the province.

Under the programme, the provincial government will allocate Rs 5 crore for development activities in each selected village, while a total budget of Rs 23.85 billion has been approved to implement the initiative.

The programme has been introduced with the slogan “Har Gali Pakki, Har Gaon Mein Sewerage Ka Baqaida Nizam,” reflecting the government’s commitment to providing paved streets and a proper sewerage system in every village of Punjab.

According to the approved plan, development activities will initially be undertaken in 475 villages during the first phase. The provincial government intends to expand the initiative further, with Maryam Nawaz directing the relevant authorities to prepare a comprehensive development plan covering an additional 2,000 villages under the second phase.

The initiative is designed to address longstanding infrastructure problems in rural communities, particularly poorly constructed streets, inadequate drainage facilities and the absence of organised sewerage systems.

Under the proposed mechanism, development projects will be executed through specially established Khushhal Dehat Committees to ensure effective planning, implementation and supervision at the village level.

Each committee will be headed by the relevant Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Social Services. Its membership will include five government representatives and four private members, bringing together officials and local stakeholders to oversee development activities.

The committee will also include the concerned Union Council Chairman and Sub-Engineer to ensure that local representatives and technical personnel remain involved in identifying development needs and monitoring construction work.

The involvement of local representatives is expected to help authorities identify priority areas and ensure that allocated funds are utilised according to the actual requirements of individual villages.

During the approval process, the Chief Minister directed the relevant departments to release the first instalment of development grants to the Khushhal Dehat Committees by November so that work could begin without unnecessary delays.

Maryam Nawaz emphasised that improving rural infrastructure was a key government commitment and that residents of villages deserved the same development opportunities and basic facilities available to people living in major cities.

She stated that the construction of paved streets and the establishment of a properly organised sewerage network in every village remained among her administration’s important priorities.

The Chief Minister further maintained that development activities would not be restricted to urban centres, adding that the provincial government intended to ensure balanced progress across both rural and urban areas.

She also stressed that political differences would not influence the selection of development projects or the distribution of government resources.

According to Maryam Nawaz, every citizen and locality of Punjab had an equal right to benefit from public development initiatives, regardless of political affiliation.

She added that the government’s development agenda would focus on addressing the problems faced by communities across the province and ensuring that no area was left behind.

The Khushhal Dehat Programme represents a major planned investment in rural infrastructure, with its first phase targeting hundreds of villages and the proposed second phase extending development activities to thousands more communities.

Through improved roads, drainage and sanitation facilities, the initiative aims to strengthen basic infrastructure and improve everyday living conditions for residents in rural Punjab.