CDWP Approves DI Khan Motorway, Swat Expressway: Mahmood Khan

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has said that the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) had approved two important mega projects including D.I.Khan Motorway and Dir Expressway

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Jul, 2021 ) :Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has said that the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) had approved two important mega projects including D.I.Khan Motorway and Dir Expressway.

This was disclosed by him while chairing a meeting of Provincial Cabinet here on Monday. He termed the approval of both projects a milestone for the socio economic development of the province. He added that once completed, these mega projects will not only provide better transportation facilities to the people, rather these would also help in sustainable and rapid development of the province in the context of CPEC.

He was thankful to the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Federal Government for approval of important highways for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

Mahmood Khan further disclosed that both the projects were on the agenda of Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting to be held on 16th July instant for inclusion in the CPEC portfolio and hoped that the projects would be included in CPEC frame work.

The Chief Minister directed the quarters concerned to remove hurdles in the Private Land Acquisition for public welfare oriented projects and ease the formalities and procedures and report to this effect should be presented to the cabinet within a month.

He directed the quarters concerned to devise a mechanism for bringing public properties, owned by various government departments, under one umbrella by handing it over to the pool of provincial government so that it can be utilized for public welfare without going into unnecessary formalities of transfer of land from one department to another. He also directed the Industry Department to complete environmental study for the establishment of Buner Marble City within one month period.

The Chair directed the Health department to take necessary steps for setting up of four new major hospitals in the province. Besides, members of the cabinet, Chief Secretary and Administrative Secretaries attended the meeting.

Briefing the media about the decisions of the cabinet, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information and Higher education Kamran Bangash said that an important legislation regarding Child Protection Act was tabled before the Cabinet.

In order to further improve this important legislation, the Cabinet constituted a committee comprising Minister for Social Welfare Hisham Inamullah Khan, Law Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan, Minister Labour Shaukat Yousafzai and Advocate General to further deliberate upon the Act in order to make it more effective, he told.

Kamran Bangash said that the cabinet disapproved supplementary grant for University of Agriculture, Peshawar and directed the quarters concerned to present a comprehensive case for all the universities to settle their financial issues once for all and constituted a committee consisting of Minister for Finance and Special Assistant on Higher Education to look after the financial matters of universities.

The Cabinet approved amendments in Rules of business 1985 and draft notification whereby Administrative Departments and Attached formations will be allowed to hire the services of Legal Advisors for pursuing official cases in the court of law effectively, he said.

Regarding Local Government Elections, Kamran Bangash reiterated the government's pledge to hold Local Bodies elections in one go and added that the provincial government had made all preparations as well as allocated necessary funds for the purpose. The Cabinet constituted a committee comprising Secretaries of Law, Education, Higher Education and Advocate General to deliberate upon merger of Frontier Education Foundation (FEF) Colleges and employees into Higher Education, he told and said that the Cabinet nominated a panel of three members for National Council for Tibb which include Hakeem Bakht Rawan, Hakeem Muhammad Younis Fahim and Hakeem Ata ullah out of which the Federal Government will select one nominee for the Council to represent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The cabinet approved package for strengthening and upgradation of BHUs, RHCs and Category A,B,C & D hospitals. The cabinet also approved to hire the services of Respiratory Therapists in order to bring down the death ratio in the context of COVID-19. The Cabinet also renamed Nawaz Sharif Kidney Hospital Swat as Swat Kidney Hospital. The rules did not allow renaming any public institution after the name of public office holder who is alive. It also approved Criminal Amendment Bill 2020 and Supplementary Grant for the establishment of Police Lines in Distract Shangla. The cabinet approved framework for Sustainable Development Goals as Pakistan is signatory to the SDGs.

The Cabinet approved renaming of Delimitation Authority as Coordination Unit as the Delimitation tasks has already been assigned to the Election Commission of Pakistan and Local Government's Department role was confined only to coordinate with the Election Commission of Pakistan for holding elections.

The cabinet formally approved handing over the transfer of ambulance services to the Relief Department formally assigned to the Health Department.

The cabinet by further amending Rules of Business 1985 approved establishment of Directorate of Land Record. The cabinet also approved Operational and Financial Rules of board of Investment and Trade. The cabinet also approved re-constitution of Board of Directors of Board of Investment and Trade.

The Cabinet accorded one-year extension to the Special Forum established for merged districts. The cabinet also deliberated upon amendments in KPPRA Rules and constituted a committee for the purpose. The Cabinet also approved nomination of three parents and two educationists as members of Private Schools Regulatory Authority (PSRA), the minister concluded.