After Punjab, K-P announces free laptops for students
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has announced a free laptop scheme for students in the province, pledging to match the percentage of laptop recipients in Punjab.
"If Punjab provides laptops to a certain percentage of students, we will do the same," Gandapur said. He urged Punjab's government to reciprocate by offering free health insurance cards similar to those provided in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He highlighted the province's healthcare initiatives, stating, "We have given our entire population the Sehat Card Plus and are now offering life insurance." He challenged the Punjab administration to extend similar benefits to its residents.
Gandapur also claimed that his government had increased revenue by 55% despite financial challenges, contrasting it with Punjab's performance. "Punjab's revenue growth is only 12%. Let them increase it to 55% like us," he said.
Regarding fiscal management, he asserted that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had a budget surplus of Rs176 billion and was the only province to meet the International Monetary Fund (IMF) targets. "Punjab was given an IMF surplus target of Rs300 billion but instead recorded a deficit of Rs146 billion," he noted.
The chief minister also announced financial support for underprivileged brides, stating that the provincial government would facilitate the weddings of 4,000 deserving girls, providing each with Rs200,000.
Challenging Punjab's governance, he said, "I am ready for a debate. Punjab's performance does not even match 1% of ours."
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