Representational image. PHOTO: REUTERS
PESHAWAR: In a bid to remove hiccups and to smoothen the process of setting them up, the provincial government has decided to set up a separate body which will oversee all China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) related projects in the province.
This was stated as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan directed to expedite work on projects relating to health, education, irrigation, power and communication in the province. The directions had been issued in two separate meetings at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Peshawar, statements released on Sunday stated.
In a meeting on hydel power projects being built in the province, Mahmood asked the energy and strategic support departments to own their projects and ensure that they are completed within the stipulated time period.
“The importance of CPEC should not be overshadowed by other considerations,” Mahmood said, stressing that CPEC should be the focus of attention at all times.
He directed to continue working on CPEC related projects around the clock. In this regard, the CM said that his government will set up a separate model institution for all CPEC-related projects in the province.
Stating that his government wants to achieve sustained economic growth to ensure that the “province stands on its own feet”, CM Mahmood called for the early execution and timely completion of hydropower projects in the province.
In this regard, the chief minister issued guidelines on the use of electricity generated through hydel power projects in the province. With the aim of spurring industrialisation, Mahmood said that the generation and provision of cheap electrical power through hydropower projects would attract large scale investment helping develop the province and creating jobs.
In this regard, he said that K-P will create a transmission company which will be dedicated to industries. Moreover, he specified that 28 megawatts (MW) of power produced through the Pehur hydro-power project will be provided to the Gadoon Industrial Estate in Swabi.
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He sought comprehensive research-oriented plans for hydel-power generation in the province, including in Chitral which has the potential to generate 3,000MW of electricity.
With participants raising issues relating to the National Transmission and Dispatch (NTDC) and the Central Power Purchasing Authority (CPPA), Mahmood assured them that he will take up these concerns with the federal government.
He also directed for the rapid execution and completion of government-to-government projects which include those by the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), Korean projects, Sino-Hydro and the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) project. He further directed the relevant quarter to prepare a report on the Swat skid.
Mardan development
Meanwhile, in a meeting on development projects in Mardan, Mahmood directed to complete ongoing projects as soon as possible and to submit a comprehensive progress report within a month.
The K-P chief minister directed to open completed projects for the public benefit and to focus on near-complete projects in the first phase.
After being briefed on different development projects, Mahmood directed to complete the remaining 25 per cent of work on the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital of Mardan. He also directed to resolve all power-related problems faced by the DHQ.
Moreover, he directed to complete work on six wards of the Bacha Khan Medical College immediately so that it can be handed over to the concerned quarters. Thereafter, a schedule should be prepared for the creation of new posts.
To further improve health facilities in Mardan, Mahmood directed that SNEs should be sent to the rural health centres (RHCs) and basic health units (BHUs) of Mardan so that these facilities can start serving the public.
“There should be no administrative irritants in the operationalization of newly established facilities,” he stated. He also directed to resolve the issue of providing equipment to the Mardan Medical Complex.
On the education front, Mahmood directed to post both male and female District Education Officers (DEOs) in Mardan. He also directed to move a summary for the provision of offices in Tehsil Rustam.
The CM was briefed about the revised project concept-I (PC-I) for the Mardan Mega Pak and that a meeting in this regard has already been held with the National Logistics Company (NLC).
He was told that a meeting for shifting the site of the Fazalabad Girls Secondary School will be held.
An agreement was reached on the 20-kilometre-long Patro Road project. The CM also directed to resolve salary-related issues of K-P House in Mardan and for the posting of a tehsildar. To resolve issues of UET, Mahmood directed to contact the higher education department for a resolution.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2019.
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