Cabinet okays mineral development & management company

CM says more resources to be allocated to police to improve its performance, law and order

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) cabinet on Saturday approved a proposal for the establishment and incorporation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minerals Development and Management Company (KPMDMC), which will focus on exploring, developing, excavating, processing, and marketing minerals with an emphasis on mechanized economic excavation.

The eighth meeting of the provincial cabinet, held at the Chief Minister’s House, was presided over by Chief Minister Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur.

The Chief Minister emphasized the allocation of additional resources to police to bolster law and order in the province. He also highlighted the need for improved revenue generation from the mineral sector through better structures and processes.

A draft bill for an amendment in Section 116-A of the Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1965 duly endorsed by Law & Finance Departments was placed before the provincial cabinet to re-allocate the 25 per cent quota, share of traffic fines from traffic education, awareness, purchase of machinery & equipment to 15 per cent and the remaining 10 per cent to be remitted to the Police Welfare Fund. The provincial cabinet approved this summary of the Home and Tribal Affairs Department.

A summary for the clearance of compensation cases with respect to property losses of citizens of upper South Waziristan at a cost of Rs1.5 billion was presented in the cabinet meeting. The cabinet approved the summary as a non-ADP scheme, AIP titled Citizen Losses Compensation Programme South Waziristan Upper. The amount will be paid by the federal government.

A requisition for 500 troops and another for 200 new personnel for the security of foreign nationals working at various projects in Hazara Division were placed before the provincial cabinet for approval. Legally, Section 131-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 read with Article 245 of the Constitution stipulates that, if the provincial government were satisfied that the assistance of the armed forces was required for public security, the protection of citizens and property, public peace and the maintenance of law and order, it may request the federal government to direct any officer of the armed forces to render such assistance.

The Home and Tribal Affairs Department placed a case to allow the inclusion of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) and Potassium Chlorate in the definition of explosives, exercising its powers as enunciated in Section 2 (f) clause (iii) and Section 23 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Explosives Act, 2013. This was approved by the provincial cabinet.

A summary for the concurrence of the provincial cabinet for obtaining a loan by the federal government for the ‘Flood Protection Sector Project-III’ was presented in the meeting. The cabinet agreed to the summary in principle and granted concurrence. The Flood Protection Sector Project (III), costing Rs194.625 billion over the first five years (2023-28), had been recommended by the CDWP in its meeting held on May 23, 2023 and approved by ECNEC on June 27, 2023.

A summary for an implementation plan for proposed energy conservation measures was also placed before the cabinet. The cabinet, as recommended by the Energy and Power Department, approved the amendments in the rules of Business, 1985 empowering the Provincial Electric Inspectorate to enforce NEECA Laws/rules/regulations/instructions/guidelines/codes in respect of energy conservation in all sectors across the province.

A summary for appointing PEDO members in different committees was also presented before the cabinet. As recommended by the Policy Board, the cabinet approved the names of Aziz Raza for the Renewable Energy and Hamoodur Rehman for the Finance committee respectively. 

Additionally, recommendations for members of the Board of Directors of WSSC Swat and Mardan were presented before the cabinet and were approved.

A summary for the Up-gradation of Teachers of Special Education Institutions and Welfare Homes from BPS-17 to BPS-18 in light of a Peshawar High Court Judgment was placed before the cabinet which was also approved. 

An executive summary for a revision of the pay scales of teachers working at institutes for the handicapped was also presented in the cabinet meeting. Agreeing to the proposal, the cabinet approved the award of scale to pay effect (BPS-17) to the 32 teachers from the date of acquiring of degrees.