K-P cabinet okays Rs1b flood rehab

Women's e-bike scheme and ETEA MDCAT from 2027 also approved

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet on Friday approved a wide-ranging package of administrative, financial and development measures, including the creation of a new tehsil in Charsadda, Rs1 billion for rehabilitation of flood-damaged infrastructure, principle approval for conducting MDCAT through ETEA from 2027 and an electric-bike scheme for women across the province.

Briefing journalists on decisions taken at the 57th cabinet meeting, Information, Science and Technology Minister Shafi Jan said the cabinet approved the establishment of Umarzai Tehsil in Charsadda district. A committee comprising officials of the Board of Revenue, Local Government, Planning and Development and Finance departments was also formed to develop criteria for future changes in administrative units.

The cabinet approved, in principle, conducting the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test through the Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency (ETEA) from 2027. A committee will examine the technical and legal aspects of the transition. ETEA currently has 60 computer-based testing centres with a daily capacity of 26,000 candidates and has conducted more than 1,300 tests involving around 500,000 candidates since shifting to computer-based testing in September 2024.

The cabinet also approved a Transport Monetization Policy for judicial officers and agreed to forward Provincial Assembly Joint Resolution No 240 to the federal government. The K-P Revenue Authority's annual report for 2024-25 was also approved.

For flood rehabilitation, the cabinet allowed the relevant department to seek financing from the World Bank's International Development Association under Islamic banking principles. It approved Rs1 billion for rehabilitation of flood-affected infrastructure, including Rs500 million specifically for Chitral.

The cabinet enhanced the compensation package for Shaheed Maulana Mirza Jan of Wana to Rs10 million and formed a committee to develop a mechanism for universal registration of tri-wheelers and controlling their unregulated traffic in urban areas.

It also approved the creation of 46 contract posts for service delivery centres in Lakki Marwat, Tank, Buner, Karak, Battagram, Charsadda and Abbottabad, besides Rs5 million for the District Bar Association, Khyber.

In the health sector, the cabinet approved rationalisation and redeployment of full-body scanners, funds for eye-care equipment at DHQ Hospital, MTI Bannu, and bridge financing for remaining construction work on the Khyber Institute of Child Health.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi expressed concern over the health of former prime minister Imran Khan, alleging that federal authorities had failed to faithfully implement Supreme Court directions regarding his treatment. He urged courts to ensure enforcement of their orders, saying the nation was looking towards the judiciary.

The chief minister also announced an electric-bike scheme for female college and university students and working women, with the first phase to be launched shortly on merit. An electric-rickshaw scheme would follow.

He directed departments to accelerate ADP projects and the electric-bus scheme for divisional headquarters, stressing that bureaucratic hurdles and political inertia must not delay public-interest projects. He expressed confidence that the current financial year would bring peace, development and prosperity to the province.