Cost of three power projects revised up

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has approved cost-enhancement of three power supply schemes in the newly merged tribal districts so that uninterrupted electricity supply could be ensured there.

These power supply projects include construction of 132 kv grid station Shahkass, 132 kv grid station Bara-II and 132 kv grid station Tribal Subdivision Kohat along with transmission lines.

It is pertinent to mention here that these projects were included in Accelerated Implementation Program (AIP) with an estimated cost of Rs471 million, Rs530 million and Rs650 million respectively.

However, considering the ground realities, TESCO prepared PC-1 for the said projects which enhanced the cost of Shakaas grid station Rs171.59 million, Bara-II grid station Rs147.093 million and TSD Kohat grid station Rs325.958 million.

These PC-1s were submitted to PDWP for approval with enhanced cost while the forum approved these projects subject to condition that Energy and Power department will move a summary to the chief minister for approval of cost enhancement.

In light of that condition Energy and Power Department formally submitted a summary which was approved by CM.

The completion of these projects would ensure provision of uninterrupted power supply to domestic and commercial consumers which, in turn, would boost industrial activities in the NMDs.

Centre of Excellence in Agriculture

The provincial government has decided to convert Agriculture Research Institute (ARI) Tarnab in Peshawar and Agriculture Research Institute Mingora in Swat into Centres of Excellence to bolster agriculture research and crop production.

K-P Agriculture and Livestock Department officials told APP on Thursday that Rs1,000 million will be spent on upgradation and converting these institutes into Centres of Excellence.

He said an act has been approved from provincial cabinet on January 5, 2022 and a bill was submitted to K-P Assembly to convert these research institutions into centres of excellence.

These institutions would be run through a Board of Governors (BoG) with a CEO and existing employees to be either adjusted elsewhere or send to surplus pool besides a market-based pay structure and hiring through open competition would be given to professionals.

Under the Agriculture Transformation Plan, a seed industry was being established with an estimated cost of Rs1,000 million and procurement was in progress.

(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUTS FROM APP)