CM orders uplift projects completion in merged districts

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the Planning and Development Department to ensure timely and speedy implementation of development projects in the merged tribal districts.

He issued the directives while chairing a progress review meeting on the eight months performance of the Planning and Development Department.

Chief Secretary Muhammad Saleem Khan, Additional Chief Secretary Shehzad Khan Bangash, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Shahab Ali Shah and other officials attended the meeting, said an official handout.

Mahmood Khan directed the P&D Department to ensure the speedy provision of loans under the Insaf Rozgar Scheme with special emphasis on areas which were affected the most by militancy and military operations.

He asked for a monthly progress report on the pattern of PMRU pointing out the current and achieved status of the quick impact and other development projects.

The chief minister directed the P&D Department to finalise development schemes in the upcoming budget for providing monthly stipends to degree holding students in the newly merged districts.

He directed the P&D Department to follow up on all the announcements made by the prime minister and chief minister during visits to the newly merged tribal districts, adding that progress on the announcements should be submitted on regular basis.

The chief minister directed the relevant quarters to submit a detailed traffic management plan for Abbottabad and Peshawar in addition to shifting of Peshawar main bus station to Chamkani which will help in the management of traffic-related issues.

While briefing the chief minister on the achievements of P&D Department, Shehzad Khan Bangash stated that under the approved Rs20.4 billion ADP budget for the year 2018-19, 78 projects have already been approved by the PDWP.

The chief minister was informed that 87 per cent of the development budget for the newly merged districts has been allocated to ongoing schemes whereas 13 per cent has been allocated for new schemes.

He was told that the first-ever provincial investment policy had been finalised which would prove to be a major source of attraction for investors once approved.

Mahmood Khan was informed that the draft for Public Investment Management plan had been prepared which would be finalized soon.

Furthermore, for a long-term development plan 2019-23, development plans have been prepared by all the departments whereas regular follow up is also being conducted for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor -related projects.

The meeting was told that 232 schemes had been approved in 14 different PDWP meetings in which 78 schemes are related to erstwhile Fata.