The provincial cabinet on Tuesday approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Climate Change Policy and Action Plan-2022, which focuses on reducing vulnerability of natural and human systems as well as lessening greenhouse gas emissions through technological or nature-based solutions.
The new policy is in consonance with the objectives of the Revised National Climate Change Policy 2021 and will address as many as nine Agro-Ecological Zones in the province including the merged districts.
The successful implementation of the policy will open new avenues to attract international climate financing in adaptation and mitigation sectors, allowing the province to achieve sustainable development and create resilience against natural disasters.
The decision was made at a meeting held here and chaired by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan.
The chief minister said that K-P became the first province that devised provincial climate change policy and action plan.
The meeting besides the cabinet members was also attended by the chief secretary, additional chief secretary, senior member Board of Revenue and administrative secretaries.
Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information & PRs Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif while briefing media persons about the decisions of the cabinet meeting said that the CM directed completion of feasibility study within a month period for setting up a plant for producing energy from wastes/garbage.
The bio-fuel plant will not only help control environmental pollution but will also contribute towards making the province self-sufficient in energy.
The chief minister, he said, further directed for bringing amendments in the relevant laws with regard to the acquisition of land for setting up universities and no more than 100 kanals of land will be procured for a university. This will ensure the protection of agricultural lands.
The cabinet, he said, also accorded approval for the food department to sign MoU with the Bank of Khyber for Insaf Food Card.
The deserving households, he said, will receive Rs2,100 monthly under the Insaf Food Card.
He added that the cabinet while reviewing some of its earlier decisions taken during the special budget meeting held on June 13, 2022 accorded approval to reduce the ad-hoc allowance 2022 from 16 per cent to 15 per cent to be granted to all provincial government employees on running basic pay.
He said that the cabinet also approved the extension of Water and Sanitation Services Company (WSSC) Bannu’s jurisdiction to 11 village councils and five neighborhood councils falling within the ambit of the assistant director LG Bannu to benefit a population of 89, 596 persons.
Barrister Saif further said that the cabinet also accorded approval for lease agreement between the Local Government, Elections & Rural Development Department and Sports, Tourism and Culture Department for giving 100 Kanal land, located on Mardan bypass road, on lease basis to the latter one for the establishment of a Cultural Complex in Mardan.
The cabinet, he further informed, also approved the inclusion of patwar halqas of Sulatanr and Jarogo valleys in the jurisdiction of Upper Swat Development Authority to enable the Authority to carry out its functions regarding promotion of eco-tourism and environment friendly development effectively.
The cabinet, he said, also approved personal upgradation of as many as four employees of the defunct FATA Development Corporation.
He said the cabinet also approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Private Schools Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Act, 2022 with certain amendments in the previous one to make it more clear and simple.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2022.
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