Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet approved Rs. 6 Billion for subsidy to RAAST modernization Finance Scheme
Chitral Times Report
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet in its 63rd meeting held here on Wednesday with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan in the chair approved an amount of Rs.6 billion to be provided as subsidy to RAAST Modernization Finance Scheme and RAAST Working Capital Financing Scheme to encourage growth of existing and new businesses in the SME sector. The meeting besides the cabinet members was also attended by the Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, Senior Member Board of Revenue and Administrative Secretaries of the government departments.
Briefing media persons about the decisions of the cabinet after the meeting, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Information and Public Relations Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif informed that both the schemes would be implemented by the Bank of Khyber in coordination with the Industries, Commerce & Technical Education Department. The SME sector, he said, is viewed as the backbone of an economy and the present government is highly focused on the uplift of this sector as it employs the largest work force as well as contribute significantly to the income of the population at large. Providing financing facility to SME sector on attractive terms and conditions in the present COVID-19 scenario will provide necessary support in terms of liquidity which is directly needed to sustain the businesses and associated employment, he added.
Barrister Saif further informed that the Chief Minister has directed for framing rules within a period of one month for all the Acts which lack the same and be submitted to the cabinet for approval. Similarly, annual calendar shall also be devised for the cabinet meetings so as to ensure timely approval of the public welfare-oriented schemes from the cabinet.
The Special Assistant further informed that the cabinet approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Apprenticeship Bill 2021 which will ensure protecting the rights of the Apprentices undergoing training the industrial establishment. The Apprenticeship Bill, he said, is aimed at meeting the modern requirements as well as to boost technical manpower which plays an important role in the development of Trade and Commerce.
He informed that the cabinet also accorded approval to formally launch the Summary Automation System (SAS), which is a web/mobile enabled integrated application to digitally generate, process and approve various summaries and notes for the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa respectively. The system will enable the departments to move the summaries and notes through this App. The SAS is the first step towards digital governance enabling the government to ensure transparency and efficiency while communicating and processing documents necessary for inter and intra departmental communication. He said that the Chief Minister has directed for including the whole proceedings of the cabinet in the digitalization.
The cabinet, the SACM said, also accorded approval to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Print, Electronic and Social/Digital Advertisement Policy 2021 with the aim to ensure effective media projection of the government initiatives/achievements at the gross root level through all modern mediums of communication including social/social media influencers, electronic as well as digital media. Furthermore, the mechanism of inclusion and exclusion of newspapers from the Provincial Media List has also been made further transparent under the new policy. The Chief Minister, he said, has directed for framing rules in this regard as well.
The media was further informed that the cabinet has approved amendments in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Antiquities (Amendment) Act-2016 enabling the department concerned to take action against the illegal diggers of the antiquities as well as to process the court cases. Moreover, the cabinet approved the proposed panel of Board of Directors (BoDs) for WSSP in light of the recommendations of the committee headed by Minister for Local Government.
Barrister Saif further informed that the cabinet has approved the nominations as many as nine (09) members for the reconstitution of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pharmacy Council Peshawar. Similarly, a special Shuhada Package was approved for the deceased late Mubashir Ahmad, who died during firing at Dalazak Road, Peshawar on March 8, 2021. The provincial cabinet also approved the payment of the remaining compensation to the deceased persons of erstwhile Khyber Agency, in light of the decision of Peshawar High Court.
The cabinet, he said, also accorded approval to provide relaxation of KPPRA Rules for Tourism Area Integrated Development Project, sub-heads Kalam and Naran to regularize the enhanced contract cost of the project. The cabinet further approved giving the status of integrated tourism zones to three tourism spots in the province including Ganhool (Mansehra), Mankial (Swat) and Madaklasht (Chitral) which will be presented during the Dubai Expo to attract foreign investors. Similarly, the provincial cabinet also granted approval to the re-appointment of Mr. Habib Raza as Director General Galyat Development Authority in light of the decision of the Peshawar High Court, Abbottabad Bench. The provision of land measuring 03 kanal and 09 marla was also approved by the provincial cabinet for the construction of
Regional Office of Anti-Corruption Establishment at D.I.Khan.
The cabinet also approved the proposal with regard to repealing of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Benevolent Fund (Allotment of plots to government servants) Rules- 1989. The approval was granted under the order of the Peshawar High Court to arrange payment of compensation to the legal heirs of the deceased employees in lieu of plots.
The cabinet approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Amendment Act, 2021 which will make the RTI more effective and ensure that the citizens have an effective access to information, held by public bodies. The amended Act will make the government entities more accountable to the public.
The SACM also informed that the cabinet has granted approval for providing NOC for issuance of a satellite TV Broadcast Station chennel license to Sarhad University of Science and Technology, Peshawar for education purposes as required under the PEMRA (Amendment) Act,2007. The cabinet, he said, also accorded approval to the Provincial Ombudsman Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Annual Report-2020 for its onward submission to the Provincial Assembly as required under section 27 (5) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Ombudsman Act,2010. The provincial cabinet approved placing 6 kanal land at the disposal of District Judiciary, Nowshera for the establishment of courts at Tehsil Pabbi, which despite having a handsome population, was having no courts/kutcheries for Judicial Business to provide justice to the public at the door step. The cabinet, he said, further approved the compensation package for Judges of the Peshawar High Court and regular employees of its Principal seat and its benches. The cabinet also approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Consumer Protection Rules,2021, which will protect the legitimate rights of the consumers.
