KP CM wants plan of action to get rights from Centre

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Tuesday directed the officials to chalk out a strategy for taking up the financial matters of the province with the federal government.

"All the required documents along with a plan of action should be finalized within a month for the purpose," he said while chairing a meeting on the financial issues of the province related to the federation. A handout said the participants were briefed in detail about the outstanding dues of the province against the federal government and other associated matters.

Advisor to Chief Minister for Finance Muzammil Aslam, Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Additional Chief Secretary Syed Imtiaz Hussain Shah, Secretary Finance Aamir Sultan Tareen, Secretary Energy & Power Nisar Ahmed, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Amjad Ali Khan, and others relevant officials attended the meeting.

The meeting was informed that under the AGN Qazi Formula, the Centre owed Rs 1510 billion to the province under Net Hydel Profit, whereas the arrears amounting to Rs 6 billion on account of the province's own-generated electricity being provided to the national grid, were outstanding as well.

It was informed that the administrative merger of the erstwhile tribal areas into KP had been completed, but financial integration was still incomplete due to which, the provincial government was facing problems.

The participants were told that the province was not getting its due share in various federal transfers due to which the provincial government was faced with a major challenge of financial crunches.

It was pointed out that the population of the province had increased with the merger of erstwhile tribal ears into KP but the share of the province in the National Finance Commission Award (NFC) had not been increased accordingly which needed to be addressed.

The meeting was told that as per the KP population after the merger of erstwhile tribal areas, the NFC Award share of the province stood at 19.64 percent but the province was getting only 14.62 percent.

It was pointed out that the province was provided only Rs 103 billion out of the committed Rs 500 billion so far under the Accelerated Implementation Programme of the merged districts. The chief minister made it clear that all available legal and constitutional forums would be approached to get the arrears and due rights of the province. He also directed the team of experts to effectively take up the matter with the federal government.

"In case, the issue is not resolved by the federation, all available options, including knocking on the door of courts, will be utilized for getting due share of the province," he said and added that reputable Law Firms would also be hired for this purpose. Later, chairing a meeting of the Board of Revenue, the chief minister directed the quarters concerned for necessary amendments to the relevant law to ensure the protection of women's rights in inheritance. Provincial Minister for Revenue Nazir Abbasi, SMBR Ikramullah Khan, and other relevant officials attended the meeting

Concerned authorities on this occasion, briefed the participants about administrative affairs, reform initiatives, revenue collection, development projects and other related matters of the department.

He directed the completion of Phase I of the ongoing land record computerization project by June and Phase II by December of this year. Addressing the participants, the chief minister said that it was imperative to introduce reforms in the Board of Revenue to improve public service delivery.