CM wants ongoing schemes completed on priority basis

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Thursday directed that the ongoing development schemes should be completed on a priority basis during the current financial year.

“Sufficient resources would be allocated for flagship projects such as Swat Motorway, Bus Rapid Transit Peshawar, Billion Tree Tsunami, Chashma Right Bank Canal, Gomal Zam Dam, sports grounds and upgrading of higher secondary schools,” he told a meeting at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

Provincial ministers Muhammad Atif Khan, Shahram Tarakai, Taimur Salim Jhagra, Chief Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch, Additional Chief Secretary Shehzad Bangash, Secretary Finance Shakeel Qadir and other relevant officers attended the meeting, said a handout.

The chief minister added that there would be no compromise on the development of the province. He agreed to allocate a minimum 25 per cent of the total cost for every new scheme.

He agreed with the proposal not to allow the review of the scheme for the additional scope so that the developmental work could be completed on time and relief could be given to the public. The chief minister directed to give proper attention to the Excise Department, Board of Revenue, Minerals, Tourism, Energy and other productive fields to increase to the financial base of the province.

He also directed to fix effective way of tax collection and to enhance the capacity of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Regulatory Authority to achieve the targets.

The participants of the meeting were briefed about the provincial budget for the financial year 2018-19 and the Annual Development Plan. They were told that 157 ongoing schemes had been prioritized in the four months interim budget, which are in the completion process. This time 1279 schemes are under process which will be completed on a fast track-basis