CM Mahmood Khan wants Kohat division uplift schemes finalised for approval

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed finalization of schemes under the Kohat Division Development Project after consulting public representatives and sought details by 10th of Feb for the approval.

According to an official handout, he said this while chairing a meeting on Monday. The meeting was also attended by Member National Assembly Shahid Khattak, Advisor to CM on Energy and Power Hamyatullah Khan, Advisor to CM on Merged Districts Ajmal Wazir, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Shahab Ali Shah, secretary Energy and Power and others.

The project is expected to be launched by Mid-Feb this year for which Mahmood Khan directed to undertake a comprehensive study of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) and other developmental projects in the pipeline for avoiding a duplication of schemes.

It will be funded from the royalty funds of the oil and gas producing districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Kohat division. The provincial government will contribute 20 per cent fund from the ADP to ensure equal development of non-oil producing Tehsils in the division.

The chief minister was informed that 147,000 households are expected to directly benefit from the development initiatives aimed to increase the income, employment and livelihood opportunities in the project areas on a sustainable basis.

The project area covers Kohat, Hangu and Karak districts having a total of 673 villages where an estimated amount of Rs15 billion will be spent including Rs 9.7 billion for infrastructure development, Rs 4 billion for poverty reduction and Rs 0.9 billion for development of Agriculture, Livestock and Forestry.

Some of the initiatives to be undertaken include construction of seven small dams in Karak, one small in Hangu, rehabilitation of eight existing irrigation schemes, operationalization of 39 non-functional water supply schemes, rehabilitation of 100 Kms rural roads, provision of infrastructure facilities for 135 girls primary schools and 65 Basic Health Units and rehabilitation of 100 tube-wells.

Regarding the Kohat division, Mahmood Khan was informed that 87 per cent cultivated area is rain-fed with less than 50 per cent of the population having access to clean drinking water. With poverty rate higher than 50 per cent, Kohat division is urgently in need of government attention.

The chief minister stated that uplift and development of backward areas is the priority of the provincial government for which it is taking pragmatic measures and the Kohat Division Development Project is a major step towards achieving the uniform development in the province.