K-P approves release of subsidised wheat

20kg flour bag will be available at Rs860

PESHAWAR:

The provincial government on Tuesday approved the release of wheat to flour mills at subsidised rates and also set the retail price of a 20 kilogramme flour bag at Rs860.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) cabinet here on Tuesday, with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair.

The provincial cabinet also formed an inquiry commission to probe the audiotape scandal of former adviser to the chief minister on information Ajmal Wazir.

The cabinet also agreed to a proposal from the federal government to develop a uniform curriculum across the country. It empowered the education minister to present the provincial government’s view in the upcoming meeting which will be hosted by the federal government in this regard.

The provincial cabinet also made it compulsory to write the word (Khatim-Un-Nabiyeen) with the name of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in all textbooks.

Briefing the media on the decisions taken during the cabinet meeting, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information and Local Government Kamran Bangash said that the cabinet had decided to withdraw a notification for district scrutiny and clearance committees constituted for the identification of developmental schemes in the merged districts under the Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP).

On the issue of reopening educational institutions in the province, Bangash said it was debated during the cabinet meeting. However, he said that any decision on the matter would be taken after Eidul Azha.

The cabinet also approved a draft for the public-private partnership (PPP) bill to promote and encourage private sector investment by making the cumbersome processes easier.

Bangash further said that the cabinet has endorsed a decision to hand over all rest houses owned by the government to the provincial tourism department.

Approval for necessary amendments in Motor Vehicle Rules 1969 to regulate three-wheeler Qingqi Rickshaws was also accorded.

The cabinet also approved the names of Muhammad Siddiq, Zahid Idrees, Mahfoozur Rehman, Amir Munir, Muhammad Shoaib and Aimal Zaman as board members of the newly-established Kaghan Development Authority.

Earlier, addressing the cabinet meeting, CM Mahmood expressed his dissatisfaction at the food department’s failure to achieve its wheat procurement targets.

He directed to conduct a probe into the issue and present a report to the cabinet as to why wheat could not be procured.

The chief minister also directed relevant departments to devise a plan for traffic management in Peshawar.

He also directed all departments to ensure formal approval of all their developmental schemes in the new Annual Developmental Programme (ADP) from the relevant competent forums within three months.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2020.