3-year Economic Revival Plan For KP Chalked Out: Secretary

The Khyber Pakthunkhwa government has planned a three-year Economic Revival Plan worth Rs29 billion featuring 43 major initiatives in nine sectors in order to boost COVID-19 hit economy of the province

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Oct, 2020 ) :The Khyber Pakthunkhwa government has planned a three-year Economic Revival Plan worth Rs29 billion featuring 43 major initiatives in nine sectors in order to boost COVID-19 hit economy of the province.

Azm-e-Nau (spirit of KP)'s inclusive plan builds on local strengths and embraces global trends was a medium and long terms strategy would mainly cover nine key sectors including economic growth, small and medium term enterprises, jobs for development, energy response, health, education, governance, social sector and public works in the aftermath of COVID 19.

Flanked by Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information and Higher Education Kamran Bangash, Secretary Planning and Development (P&D) Hamayun Khan said that 78 integrated development projects with 148 sub schemes worth Rs150 billion were developed under Accelerated Implementation Program (AIP) for different socio-economic sectors for merged areas (erstwhile Fata).

Highlighting two years performance of his department, the secretary said development of merged areas was a cornerstone of Govt policy and Rs159 billion were provided under Tribal Decade Strategy (TDS 2002-30) for its speedy development.

Implementation of AIP was underway in all seven tribal districts with special focus on strengthening of communication and roads infrastructure, health and education's development besides bolstering tourism, sports, energy and construction of small dams.

He said a record 2000 PC-I was approved for different sectors in last two years including for Sheikh Badain park in Lakki Marwat. Similarly, Rs 4 billion including Rs two billion each by Federal and KP Government have been released for 10billion trees afforestration project (10BTAP) whereas Rs3.3 billion would be spent on water management in merged areas.

In 2019-20, 459 ADP projects were approved including 249 for KP, 88 in merged areas and 122 for AIP while work on 404 was in progress.

Similarly, 129 Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) schemes were approved and work on 125 schemes was underway in KP.

As many as Rs8 billion has been approved for Thall-Mir Ali Road, Rs3.2 billion for livestock integrated development program and PC-I of Swat Motorway (phase-II) from Chakdara to Fatehpur, he said.

The project of construction of three corridors at Torkhum in Khyber, Ghulam Khan in North Waziristan and Angor Ada South Waziristan projects remained highly successful and Rs42 billion revenue has been generated from Torkhum border.

Terming KP-Fata merger as a historic achievement, he said the department strives for righteous and timely executions of all identified projects and ensured fast track approvals. Focus was being made in projects related to socio-economic development, good governance, better healthcare delivery system, improving literacy rate, creation of jobs, mineral development, water and power supply schemes.

Following KP-Fata merger, he said management of accounts and adjustment of federal government's employees in KP was a big challenge, which was successfully addressed and salaries to all absorbed employees were regularly released.

While clarifying CM's discretionary funds, the Secretary said CM's discretionary funds were abolished in the light of a court's decision and all PC-Is were being approved within four months besides three meetings of Provincial Development Working Parties (PDWPs) were being held every month.

The secretary said digitalization, Geographical Information System (GIS) and automation work at P&D Department has been completed that improved service delivery and decision-making process, adding GIS facility has been extended to all merged tribal districts.

He said a survey would soon be started for compensation to landowners likely to be affected from Pakistan-Tajkistan electricity transmission line in Khyber district.