KP Cabinet approves 10-year uplift plan for merged districts

Wadood Jan

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtubkhwa cabinet Thursday approved 10-year developmental plan for merged districts and directed all relevant departments to present schemes within a period of one month for incorporation in development concept paper.

The marathon meeting started at 10:30 am and continued till 3:00 with Chief Minister KP, Mahood Khan in the chair.

Briefing newsmen about decisions taken by the cabinet meeting, Provincial Minister for Information, Shaukat Yousafzai informed that the meeting approved contribution of KP’s share of three percent from NFC (National Finance Commission), amounting to Rs. 10.18 billion, for development of merged district. The share of center in this regard amounts to Rs 54 billion and 38 billion for Punjab Province, Shaukat continued.

The provincial cabinet also approved use of official helicopters of KP by cabinet members.

The decision was taken while approving an amendment in KP Ministers Salaries, Allowances and Privileges Act 2019.

According to decision, any Minister, Advisor or Government official can use official helicopter with the approval of Chief Minister, Information Minister added.

The cabinet also approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for preparation of feasibility for alignment of Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan and Charsadda rail track. The project titled as `Greater Peshawar Region Mass Transit Circular Rail Project’ will be jointly carried out by CRCC and Pakistan Railway Advisory Consultancy Service (PRACS) and will be completed within a period of 18 months.

In the meeting, the posts of Assistant Judges for Malakand division were also approved, who would assist the Judges about Quranic injunctions and Sharia rules in judgments of different cases.

According to decision, 15 Assistant Judges (AJ) will be appointed in Swat, 16 in Buner, 12 each in Shangla and Malakand, 21 in Lower Dir and 14 each in Upper Dir and Chitral districts.

The cabinet also approved appointment of two judges as Member Labour Appellate Tribunal. This decision is taken in light of directives issued by Chief Justice Peshawar High Court.

The meeting approved Mines Safety Rules to ensure safety of mine workers. According to rules in case of any accident, Mine Inspector will be responsible for the loss. Similarly all mine workers will be registered with Employees Old Age Benefit Institute (EOBI). The compensation for loss of mine worker in KP was Rs 300,000 which has been raised to Rs 500,000, added Shaukat.

The cabinet approved amendment in National Disaster Management Act, allowing Relief department to declare Calamity hit area in case of any disaster.

Shaukat Yousafzai said earlier the concerned department had to approach federal government for declaring `calamity hit’ area to any disaster affected region. Now the Relief Department can initiate emergency service by its own, he added.

The cabinet approved regularization of services of 250 government employees out of whom 197 are from Health department.

The Information Minister said that Chief Minister expressing concern over weight of school bags of children directed the education department to reduce the weight for the children.

He further directed the education department that no private school would collect summer vacation fee from parents. The CM also expressed reservation over removal of Khatma-e-Nabut chapter from book of Class-IV.