PROJECTS WORTH PKR 49.145 BILLION APPROVED FOR ACCELERATED DEVELOPMENT IN THE MERGED AREAS
Wednesday, 4 November 2020: Chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary, Shakil Qadir Khan, the Planning and Development Department convened a record number of Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) meetings in the month of October. According to a statement issued by the department here today, the high frequency of PDWP meetings is a direct outcome of the priority and urgency attached by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the accelerated development of the Merged Areas.
According to the details of the projects that are approved for implementation under the AIP 2020-21, 32 projects worth PKR 49.145 billion representing a wide range of development sectors got the official nod. Industries, education, transport, water, roads, food, energy, information and law are some of the sectors that secured project approvals during the four sessions of PDWP that were held in October. While the Additional Chief Secretary led the proceedings, representatives of the Planning and Development Department and the Implementing Provincial Departments participated in the month-long meetings.
In the higher education sector, three projects got approved including provision of scholarships for the students of Merged Areas, strengthening of the BS degree programme and provision of staff to existing colleges at a cost of PKR 2,107.06 million, PKR 402.62 million and PKR 1,223.11 million respectively. Elementary and secondary education sector also got seven projects approved at a total cost of PKR 13,626.01 million. These projects include establishment of 100 primary schools, construction of examination halls in schools, upgradation of 70 primary schools to middle level, upgradation of 70 middle schools to high level, upgradation of 70 high schools to higher secondary level and reconstruction of fully or partially damaged schools in the Merged Areas.
Improvement of the 42 kilometers Tanai-Gulkatch Road will cost PKR 762.57 million, construction of Kundiwan Weir in South Waziristan will be completed at a cost of PKR 1,234.42 million and the construction project of Bara Dam in Khyber district has been approved at a cost of PKR 463.99 million. The project for the establishment of a communication and social media cell for the publicity of AIP projects and mass awareness campaigns has also got the approval. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Emergency Services Academy (Rescue-1122) to be established at Shahkas area of Khyber district has also been approved and will cost PKR 3174.03 million.
In the law and justice sector, the much-awaited projects comprising the construction of 7 district judicial complexes and 25 tehsil judicial complexes have also been approved. The two high-impact projects will cost PKR 9.5 billion each, and will substantially contribute towards improved governance and rule of law in the Merged Areas.