Cabinet clears Rs1.2b for Bajaur's displaced

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa cabinet on Friday sanctioned Rs1,247.500 million for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to provide food and non-food assistance to voluntarily displaced families affected by targeted operations against terrorists in parts of Bajaur district.

The 38th cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, was attended by cabinet members, the chief secretary, additional chief secretaries, senior member Board of Revenue, administrative secretaries and the advocate general.

Briefing reporters on the cabinet's decisions, Advisor to the Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations, Barrister Dr Muhammad Ali Saif, said the meeting approved measures covering relief and rehabilitation, public health, law and order, tourism, archaeology, forestation, labour reforms and communications.

In the security sector, the cabinet approved the reconstruction of Malak Saad Shaheed Police Lines in Peshawar, construction of police hostels at Daudzai and West Cantt police stations, and the establishment of five new police stations along with eight police posts in Peshawar under a non-ADP scheme worth Rs3,625 million. It also allotted land for a new police station in Akbarpura, Nowshera, and declared the newly built sub-jail in Swabi as a district jail while shifting 165 posts to make it operational, paving the way for the transfer of prisoners from the dilapidated old facility.

In the health sector, the cabinet approved the enhanced cost for upgrading RHC Oghi in Mansehra to a Category-D hospital, endorsed a fund-flow mechanism for outsourced health facilities, and sanctioned a Rs10 million grant for the Rukhsana Mother and Childcare Trust Hospital. It also approved Rs9.5 million for the celebration of Kalash and Baha'i community festivals, reflecting the province's commitment to minority welfare.

On tourism and environment, the cabinet approved the establishment of what will be the country's largest safari park in Nowshera by transferring 560 acres of land to the Wildlife Department. In Tank, 14,718 acres of barren land were handed over to the Forest Department for afforestation in the first phase and wildlife conservation in the second.

For urban transport, the meeting approved procurement of 50 additional buses for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Peshawar. It also raised the minimum wage for adult, unskilled, juvenile and adolescent workers from Rs36,000 to Rs40,000 per month.

The cabinet was also briefed on food security, with officials stating that although wheat prices had surged in recent days, provincial stock levels remained stable.