PDWD approves 14 projects worth Rs10.37b

Most projects pertain to Tribal Decade Strategy

PESHAWAR: The provincial development working party (PDWD) on Wednesday approved 14 projects in the province at an estimated cost of Rs10.374 billion, including eight projects under the Tribal Decade Strategy.

The meeting of the PDWD was held in Peshawar on Wednesday with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Additional Chief Secretary Dr Shahzad Khan Bangash in the chair. K-P Planning and Development Department Secretary Atif Rehman, members of the PDWP, Merged Areas P&D Special Secretary, and officials from relevant departments attended the meeting.

The forum considered 18 projects of different sectors, including roads, local government, multi-sectoral development, water, elementary and secondary education, agriculture, home and other sectors. However, the forum only approved 14 Projects with an estimated cost of Rs10.375 billion while the remaining four projects were returned to their respective departments for rectification in their designs.

Considering projects under the Tribal Decade Strategy (TDS) — a ten-year-long, trillion rupees plan developed by the federal and provincial government for the uplift of the tribal areas — eight projects worth Rs9.133 billion were approved.

The government has allocated Rs59 billion for TDS in the ongoing fiscal year 2019-20.

The projects which were approved include payment of liabilities and compensation for land acquired in Arif Khan versus (i) District Collector Land Acquisition/Additional Deputy Commissioner Peshawar (ii) Executive Engineer Peshawar for the Khazana Naguman Road Project in Peshawar Division.

Other projects include the construction and blacktopping of the Banda Fateh Khan Road and Darmalak Road, Darmalak to Ghorzandi road, Darshakhel road, Rehmanabad Pakka road, Krappa-Shakardara road including bridge and PCC Roads in union councils Sodhal, Lachi rural, and Mandori in Kohat. Further, it included the construction of the Shaktoo bridge on Janikhel Road and the construction and rehabilitation of roads in Bakhakhel Tehsil and adjoining areas of Bannu.

Under the local government sector, a “Clean Drinking Water for All (CDWA)” project was approved.

The PDWD also approved a “Capacity building and strengthening of the Finance Department” in the finance sector.

The meeting considered and approved a project for the multi-sectoral development sector on “Pending liabilities of various sectors and projects under ADP 2017-18 approved through a supplementary grant by the Cabinet and cleared Scrutiny Committee headed by the Communication and Works Department Secretary”.

A water sector project approved pertained to the construction of the Neeli Tangi Weir sub-project in the Khyber Tribal District and construction of the Badakhel Weir sub-project in Khyber.

The provision of free basic stationery and school bags and provision of basic and missing facilities through parent-teacher committee-led conditional grants projects were also approved.

In the agriculture sector, projects on Integrated Agriculture  Development in Merged Areas under the TDS, Culturable waste Land Development and Solarization of existing agriculture tube and open wells in the newly-merged tribal districts, rainwater harvesting in merged areas of K-P were approved.

An accelerated development unit was also approved.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2019.