Correspondent
SKARDU, Aug 20: The federal and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) governments are taking a keen interest in the development of Baltistan, Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman says.
Giving details of the uplift projects being initiated in Baltistan Division at a news conference here on Sunday, he said Rs2 million has been approved for setting up a university in Baltistan. Work on the university building will be started soon, he added.
He said until the building is completed, classes will be run in the present Degree College for Boys.
He further said that work on widening of Gilgit-Skardu road will also be started soon at a cost of Rs33 million. Initially, Rs2.5 million has been given to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) to start work on the project. The road has been redesigned and work on the bridges has been started.
He said that several uplift schemes worth Rs100 million are in progress in different parts of GB, whereas Rs150 million has been approved for the maintenance of the roads in Skardu city.
He said that solid waste management system is also being launched in Skardu. His government is making a plan to provide liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to the people at their doorsteps in the city through the pipeline.
After the completion of the project, the people of Skardu will not need to get LPG in cylinders.
This facility will also help in controlling deforestation which people use for fuel requirement during the winter season.