K-P CM Mahmood Khan. PHOTO: PTI
PESHAWAR: In the biggest sign that the province is taking responsibility for the newly merged tribal districts and is committed to resolving issues there, the chief minister on Sunday directed to include mega development projects for these areas in the development budget of the province.
This was directed by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan as he chaired on Sunday the final consultative meeting over developing the Annual Development Programme (ADP) of the province as part of the upcoming budget for the fiscal year 2019-20. The government aims to present the budget before the provincial assembly next week.
During Sunday’s meeting, various departments presented their proposed development programmes, including the Planning and Development department, Elementary and Secondary Education, Higher Education, Sports and Tourism, Industries, Home, Department of Water Supply and Sanitation (DWSS), Local Government, Auqaf, Law, Food, Information, Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, MSD, Population Welfare and Social welfare departments.
The meeting was told that as many as 234 development projects are currently slated to be completed during the ongoing fiscal year. These projects, once complete, are expected to have a significant impact on reducing the throw-forward and bringing it at par with best-practices.
CM Mahmood directed that the pace of development activities in the tribal districts be expedited further, asking for inclusion of the construction of university and colleges in the ADP 2019-20.
Mahmood was told that the provincial Auqaf department has allocated Rs3 billion for mainstreaming madrassas in the province. Similarly, Rs1.27 billion have been allocated for the uplift and welfare of minority communities.
During this, the CM granted his nod for increasing the welfare package for minorities from Rs10 million to Rs30 million which will cater to their healthcare needs, support for widows and marriage grants for minorities.
The K-P chief minister was told that Rs150 million will be allocated for the capacity-building and skill development of students in madrassas, whereas, for the first time, allocations have been made for equipping these students with technical education.
The chief minister further directed to include a scheme of financial scholarships for students of madrassas in the province.
The chief minister also directed to complete ongoing development schemes, especially those relating to prisons in the province, on a priority basis.
He added that the purpose of development schemes should not be focused on expansion or building unnecessary infrastructure, rather it should focus on the efficient utilisation of resources and service delivery.
Mahmood further directed to complete the drinking water supply schemes in Karak city by the end of the ongoing fiscal year on a priority basis.
Moreover, he directed to conduct feasibility studies for the establishment of an Emergency Services Academy in Peshawar and the establishment of four rescue centres in Shangla, Malakand, Kohistan and Lakki Marwat.
The meeting was told that tourist zones will be established under ADP 2019-20 for attracting national and international tourists to the province. Mahmood sought timelines for the construction of these tourist zones.
He called for focusing on services delivery in financial and development planning, rather than on unnecessary expansion of projects which yield no results.
The chief minister directed all departments to pragmatically rationalise their respective ADPs and to minimize the throw-forwards.
Mahmood directed to complete projects relating to the Rashkai Economic Zone.
He added that the timeline for projects should be given in accordance to its completion timetable.
The meeting was attended by Senior Minister Atif Khan, Minister Finance Taimoor Saleem Jhagra, Minister Information Shaukat Yousafzai, Local Government Minister Shahram Khan Tarakai, Minister Revenue Shakeel Khan, Special Assistant to CM on Industries Abdul Karim, Chief Secretary Muhammad Saleem Khan, Additional Chief Secretary Dr Shehzad Bangash, Principal Secretary to CM Shahab Ali Shah, concerned departmental secretaries and other officials.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2019.
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