KP cabinet okays monthly stipend for prayer leaders

PESHAWAR: The provincial cabinet on Monday okayed Rs10,000 as monthly stipend for Pesh Imams (prayer leaders) of Jamia mosques of the province.

“The decision will take effect from the next month i.e. February 2018. This stipend will be given to those Pesh-e-Imams having proper degree from any of the five recognised boards of Deeni Madaris,” said a handout.

It is also mandatory that “Imams” must be a permanent resident of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This stipend would be directly transferred to the accounts of eligible Imams for which modalities are being worked out. Moreover, there will be an official committee for the purpose at district level.

The “Masajid Committees” would also be given due weightage in the process. In case of change of Imam, the Masajid committees would send their nominations to the district level official committees for appointment of new Imam.

This initiative would cost Rs3.25 billion per annum. The cabinet also approved draft bill for regularization of 4835 projects employees of 57 different projects. The draft bill will be tabled in the provincial assembly for enactment.

The cabinet, in its meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, conditionally approved upgradation of Kulachi area in Dera Ismail Khan division and Upper Chitral in Malakand division to the status of district.

It also approved conditionally the upgradation of Miryan to a full-fledged tehsil in Bannu division and the creation of a subdivision Khan Pur. However, the decision would take effect from lifting of ban imposed by the Election Commission for completion of new delimitations.

The provincial cabinet in the context of powers entrusted to the province after 18th amendment also approved new comprehensive culture policy to promote regional languages, literature, culture, sports, lok virsa, exchange of cultural delegates at national, international level, regional art etc.

The cabinet also approved policy viz-a-viz issuance of lisences of restricted bore. To make the process of issuance of licenses transparent, an arms committee will be constituted at district level to be headed by deputy commissioners.

The committee will issue licences after seeking approval from the competent authority within the monthly allocated quota. Moreover, the cabinet also approved certain amendments in partnership rules 1932 whereby necessary changes have been proposed in fees of regular firms.

The provincial cabinet approved the restructuring of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade and directed all the concerned administrative secretaries to present detail performance reports of all the boards under their respective jurisdictions. The provincial cabinet also approved legal framework to regulate the public procurement.

The chief minister directed the concerned authorities that besides e-bidding, e-billing and e-work-order system should also be introduced in all the departments with the aim to ensure maximum transparency.