KP cabinet approved the rehabilitation and restoration of the 17-megawatt (MW) Ranolia Hydropower Project
Chitral Times Report
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet which met under the
chairmanship of Chief Minister Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur Tuesday
took several decisions about energy production, education, food
security, procurement of wheat, and sustainable development and
issues related to the day-to-day affairs of the Province.
The cabinet approved the rehabilitation and restoration of
the 17-megawatt (MW) Ranolia Hydropower Project in
Kohistan Lower. The Provincial Development Working Party
(PDWP) had already approved the project at a cost of Rs.8.1
billion with the condition that the same will be processed for the
approval of the provincial cabinet for inclusion as non-ADP
scheme. The cabinet approved its inclusion as non-ADP scheme
and its financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank.
The cabinet also approved the acquisition of 327 kanal
land for 88 MW Gabral Kalam Hydropower project being
financed by the World Bank in District Swat. The provision of
the revision already existed in the approved PC-1 of the project.
On commissioning the project is expected to generate over
Rs.7.4 billion incomes per year for the Province.
It also approved the additional compensation in respect of
land and built-up property based on an independent valuation
study for executing the 300 MW Balakot Hydropower project
on Kunhar River Manshera. The enhancement of this
compensation (Rs. 286.362 million) is in line with the
recommendations of the consultant (M/S Anderson Consulting
Services), the welfare of the people of the area, and ensuring a
friendly environment for engineers and workers at the project
site. It has been estimated that once commissioned this amount
will be recovered within four days from the income generated
from this project.
The cabinet approved the shifting of manual registration
books to automated motor vehicle registration smart cards. The
Excise and Taxation Department had already signed MOU with
the National Security Printing Company (NSPC) of the Federal
Government for the provision of registration certificates and
supply of smart cards in 2022. The rates of such registration and
cards will be Rs. 574/- as compared to Rs. 1475/- of Islamabad,
Rs.530/- Punjab and Rs. 1600/- Sindh.
The cabinet also approved the utilization of the funds of
the defunct FATA Development Authority amounting to Rs. 500
million and the Rs. 43 million accumulated mark up over it
under the accelerated implementation program in the merged
districts. Small enterprises will be microfinance on an interest-
free basis (Akhuwat Islamic Microfinance) from this revolving
fund in the merged districts.
It also approved the acquisition of over 34 kanal land for
the construction of the Judicial Complex at Panah Kot Upper
Dir.
The cabinet approved the enactment of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa Registration of Godown Rules 2022 as required
by the KP Godown Registration Act 2021. The Act provides for
the registration and regulation of Godowns ensuring a
comprehensive system regarding the stable supply and
availability of goods and for matters connected therewith.
The cabinet approved the provision of free and quality
education from class 7 th to 12 th for talented students of
government schools of the Province in Quality Education
Institutions of the Province. On the proposal of the Chief
Minister, the cabinet decided to double both the amount of
monthly scholarship and the number of such talented but poor
beneficiary students of the scheme from the next academic year.
The cabinet also directed to ensure no student is left without
education because of the nonavailability of textbooks and
related facilities. It also directed that a study be conducted to
compare the quality and cost of the textbooks published by the
government and private sector. The utilization of old textbooks
was also approved in the larger interest of the people of the
Province.
The Cabinet conditionally approved the proposal of
establishing the National Industrial Development and
Regulatory Authority (NIDRA) as required under the
constitution to enable the Federal Government to unify all the
entities like Economic Zones – Special Economic Zones (SEZs),
Tax Free Zones, Integrated Tourism Zones (ITZs), Special
Technology Zones (STZs) and Expert Processing Zones (EPZs).
It is worth mentioning that a working group set up by Special
Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) for SEZs chaired by
Chairman Privatization Commission had proposed the
unification of all the above entities. However, such unification
will as per the constitution require the provincial government’s
approval and entrusting its authority unconditionally to the
Federal Government. After this approval, the aforementioned
NIDRA will under the executive and legislative authority
assume all roles to the extent of zones, required to establish,
regulate, develop, operate, and manage them under the NIDRA
law. All roles of federal entities will be shifted to NIDRA as per
the provisions of its Law. Though almost all the above entities
have been originally established under federal legislation but the
present approval was given with the express condition that “the
incentives extended under SEZ, EPZ, & STZA shall be brought
under the umbrella of a single organization to facilitate
investors. The operations, management & administrative control
of the zones and industrial estate should remain with provinces
for better facilitation of investors.”
After a threadbare discussion, the cabinet approved the
procurement of 600,000 Metric tons of wheat for the current
year. The rate of 40 kg wheat was fixed as Rs.3900/- just like
the rate of the Federal, Punjab and Baluchistan Governments.
The cabinet strictly directed the concerned authorities that
both the quality and quantity of the wheat so procured plus
transparency at every step of the process be ensured. It was
also decided that the interest of the local growers should be
protected at all costs. For this purpose, a comprehensive work
plan and SoPs starting from the district level to the divisional
and provincial levels were also chalked out and approved.
