K-P CM approves Rs207b ADP for coming fiscal

New allocation 28.6% higher than in the outgoing fiscal year

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Tuesday approved Rs207 billion for the Annual Development Programme (ADP) in the province during the fiscal year 2017-18, which is 28.6 per cent higher when compared with the current fiscal’s Rs161 billion.

According to sources, the total volume of the ADP i.e. Rs207 billion is ‘tentative’ as the amount can be adjusted upwards or downwards in the coming days. The amount includes Rs95 billion for development schemes under the provincial government and Rs30 billion for those under the district governments, while the remaining Rs82 billion is slated as foreign projects assistance.

For the FY2016-17, the total ADP volume was Rs161 billion, including Rs92 billion for the provincial government’s development schemes, Rs33 billion for the district governments schemes and Rs36 billion coming in as foreign aid.



The foreign aid in the new ADP has also increased by a whopping 128 per cent to Rs82 billion from the current Rs36 billion.

“The figures are still tentative and may be changed in the coming days,” said a senior official. The finance department had been urging the political government to keep the ADP figures rational rather than going for inflated and unrealistic figures for mere political gains.

“The finance department had told us to keep the provincial component, excluding foreign aid, of the ADP at Rs125 billion,” said an official of the Planning and Development Department.

The chief minister gave his consent to the ‘tentative’ ADP after a consultative meeting held at his residence in Peshawar.



According to a handout issued by the Chief Minister House, Khattak stressed the need for completing the ongoing schemes first and initiate new schemes on need-only basis for the welfare of the public.

"The ongoing schemes should be completed on a priority basis and all the departments should start their new schemes without any delay," he said, giving July as the deadline for starting groundwork on the new schemes.

Agreeing to 58 development schemes in the higher education department, the CM approved constructing 10 new post-graduate colleges in the province, besides sanctioning provision of missing facilities in colleges across the province. He also approved construction of two new public libraries.



In agriculture sector, 30 schemes have been approved, including 17 ongoing and 13 new. He directed completing the process of solarisation of all tube-wells in the province and asked the MPAs concerned to cooperate in acquisition of land for new tube-wells.

The chief minister approved a total of 36 development schemes in the forestry department, besides approving the Phase-III of Billion Tree Tsunami. The environment secretary told the meeting that the Phase-III of the Billion Tree Tsunami would be completed by October 2017.

In the food sector, he approved 12 development schemes and directed early completion of grains warehouses.

Khattak approved 53 development schemes in sports, tourism, culture and youth affairs. It was informed that 158 sports grounds are being constructed in the province, of which 85 had been completed while the rest are in different stages of completion.

Stipend for poets and writers

The CM also approved a scheme for restarting financial assistance of Rs30,000 to writers and poets of the province. The scheme will be launched in July after reassessment.

A total of 59 schemes have also been approved in the home department and its allied sections.

Khattak directed that encroachment on roads and highways at the pretext of security of police stations be avoided, saying that the public must be facilitated in all respects. He asked the authorities to construct bomb-proof, concrete boundary walls around police stations instead of encroaching upon public paths.

 The chief minister also directed shifting of hardcore prisoners from Haripur jail to other higher security prisons. He regretted that Haripur road had been closed over security risk from the jail side. He also approved phase-wise completion of ongoing rescue services schemes in the province.

A total of 19 schemes have also been approved in Auqaf, Hajj and Religious Affairs Department. Similarly, the solar electrification scheme of mosques has been included in the energy sector project. A total of nine schemes have been approved for the finance department, including automation of pensions system and outsourcing of revenue generation scheme.

Similarly, the health insurance scheme for government employees has also been made part of the new ADP. In energy and power sector, a total of 28 ongoing and 26 new schemes have been approved.



The CM directed expansion in solar electrification of mosques, saying that 4,000 mosques should be electrified instead of 1,000. A total of 19 schemes have been approved in the science and technology sector, including computerisation of arms licences, citizen facilitation centres, health services, IT support and installation of video conferencing for deputy commissioners at the office of the chief secretary.

Khattak approved 16 schemes in minerals development department. He asked for ensuring annual site survey of the minerals to check any chances of corruption in the department.

He directed the health, education and all other departments to ensure publicity of the steps taken by the government, urging every department to project its achievements after 10 alternative days.

He said a timetable must be prepared in this regard wherein each and every department will have to display and project its achievements for 10 days.