Cabinet moot: Investigation rules for Ehtesab go through overhaul
Youth, hydropower policies approved; amendments to Forest Ordinance 2002 cancelled
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak chairs a cabinet meeting. PHOTO: INP
PESHAWAR:
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet has approved the draft of an ordinance to amend K-P Ehtesab Commission (EC)
Act 2014.
This was approved at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and attended by administrative secretaries and cabinet ministers. Following the moot, K-P Government Spokesperson Mushtaq Ghani shared details of the meeting with the media.
Enquiry stage
“The K-P Ehtesab Commission will be expected to complete an enquiry in 90 days,” Ghani said.
According to Ghani, during the enquiry phase the EC cannot make arrests.” He added, “If the arrest of the accused is needed for the investigation stage, the EC will inform the K-P chief secretary in cases involving government employees. However, in cases involving lawmakers, the speaker of the assembly would be informed.”
Ghani said,“The Cabinet decided the EC would not keep records of government offices for investigations spanning over 15 days,” he said. “They would be expected to return records after making photocopies,” he shared. According to Ghani, records belonging to the anti-corruption department would be returned immediately after copies are made.
He said responsibilities of the director general and commissioners of EC have been fixed.
Reducing burden
About changes to the K-P Civil Servants Retirement Benefits and Death Compensation Act 2014, Ghani said the K-P assembly made changes to the draft of the bill when it was tabled. Amendments proposed by opposition members were included. He added many of these amendments were creating problems for the government in implementing the act as the provincial exchequer has to bear a burden of Rs2.2 billion for the next five years. Over the next 15 years, this is likely to increase to Rs21 billion. “The provincial government can’t sustain this burden and it will go bankrupt,” he said.
According to Ghani, under the new amendments, the civil servants would obtain financial benefits in four stages after retirement.
Scrapped
The Cabinet cancelled amendments to Forest Ordinance 2002, which were approved on October 2, 2014.
As per the amendments, Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) had to provide tourists access to 19 rest houses located in reserved forests. GDA was expected to build tracks in these forests – which could pose an environmental threat. In addition, reserved forests could not be leased for tourism.
The cabinet decided to cancel these amendments. It also decided GDA should identify areas where there are fewer trees to construct rest houses.
Green light
The Cabinet approved the K-P Youth Policy 2015. Ghani said the policy was formulated with the help of 380 young people and 250 organisations.
The policy aims to provide technical and vocational training to the youth. “Youth centres would be established at district and divisional levels,” he said. “Young people would be given internships and campus jobs. An interdepartmental working group would be established to assist them.” In addition, the government will earmark 2% of its budget for the youth.
The Cabinet also approved the K-P Hydro Power Policy 2016, which aims to encourage the private sector and cheap energy production projects. It also decided transport fares in the province should be kept 10% less than the fares in Punjab.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2016.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet has approved the draft of an ordinance to amend K-P Ehtesab Commission (EC)
Act 2014.
This was approved at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and attended by administrative secretaries and cabinet ministers. Following the moot, K-P Government Spokesperson Mushtaq Ghani shared details of the meeting with the media.
Enquiry stage
“The K-P Ehtesab Commission will be expected to complete an enquiry in 90 days,” Ghani said.
According to Ghani, during the enquiry phase the EC cannot make arrests.” He added, “If the arrest of the accused is needed for the investigation stage, the EC will inform the K-P chief secretary in cases involving government employees. However, in cases involving lawmakers, the speaker of the assembly would be informed.”
Ghani said,“The Cabinet decided the EC would not keep records of government offices for investigations spanning over 15 days,” he said. “They would be expected to return records after making photocopies,” he shared. According to Ghani, records belonging to the anti-corruption department would be returned immediately after copies are made.
He said responsibilities of the director general and commissioners of EC have been fixed.
Reducing burden
About changes to the K-P Civil Servants Retirement Benefits and Death Compensation Act 2014, Ghani said the K-P assembly made changes to the draft of the bill when it was tabled. Amendments proposed by opposition members were included. He added many of these amendments were creating problems for the government in implementing the act as the provincial exchequer has to bear a burden of Rs2.2 billion for the next five years. Over the next 15 years, this is likely to increase to Rs21 billion. “The provincial government can’t sustain this burden and it will go bankrupt,” he said.
According to Ghani, under the new amendments, the civil servants would obtain financial benefits in four stages after retirement.
Scrapped
The Cabinet cancelled amendments to Forest Ordinance 2002, which were approved on October 2, 2014.
As per the amendments, Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) had to provide tourists access to 19 rest houses located in reserved forests. GDA was expected to build tracks in these forests – which could pose an environmental threat. In addition, reserved forests could not be leased for tourism.
The cabinet decided to cancel these amendments. It also decided GDA should identify areas where there are fewer trees to construct rest houses.
Green light
The Cabinet approved the K-P Youth Policy 2015. Ghani said the policy was formulated with the help of 380 young people and 250 organisations.
The policy aims to provide technical and vocational training to the youth. “Youth centres would be established at district and divisional levels,” he said. “Young people would be given internships and campus jobs. An interdepartmental working group would be established to assist them.” In addition, the government will earmark 2% of its budget for the youth.
The Cabinet also approved the K-P Hydro Power Policy 2016, which aims to encourage the private sector and cheap energy production projects. It also decided transport fares in the province should be kept 10% less than the fares in Punjab.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2016.