PESHAWAR: The Provincial Development Working Party on Tuesday approved 35 development projects valuing Rs71.264 billion.

The approval to these project was accorded during a meeting chaired by the province’s additional chief secretary here.

According to a statement issued here, the PDWP considered 40 projects of industries, health, irrigation, elementary and secondary education, higher education, sports and tourism, communication and works, public health engineering, local government and social welfare departments.

Of them, 35 projects were approved, while the approval of five was deferred due to inadequate project designs.

Defers approval of five over ‘inadequate’ designs

In the industries sector, the PDWP approved the establishment of small industrial estate in Dargai area of Malakand and rehabilitation of the SIDB small industrial estates in DI Khan, Bannu, Kohat and Mansehra, while in the water sector, construction of Sanam dam in Lower Dir was okayed.

Approval was accorded to 10 elementary and secondary education projects, including establishment of 100 girls primary schools and 50 primary schools for boys in the province; the phase III of the recruitment of IT/computer science teachers and opening of computer labs at schools; establishment of 70 secondary schools for girls and 30 for boys; up-gradation of 30 boys high schools to higher secondary level, 50 girls middle schools to higher secondary level, 50 girls high schools to higher secondary level and 20 boys middle schools to high school level, and establishment of 500 IT laboratories at high and higher secondary schools.

In the higher education sector, the PDWP approved the establishment of a public library in Mansehra and Charsadda each, and establishment of a girls’ degree college in PK-30 constituency of Mardan, while in the archaeology sector, a project for acquisition of land to protect and develop 11 archeological sites in Swat was okayed.

In the roads sector, five projects, which were approved, included feasibility study, designing and rehabilitation of roads in Abbottabad and Swat, while the concept paper of Swat Motorway from Karnal Sher Khan Interchange on Motorway M-1 to Chakdara National Highway N-45 were also approved.

In the building sector, designing and construction of government officers residences in Race Course Garden, Peshawar area, construction of additional office and residential buildings, and construction of office building for the chief engineer (public health engineering) were also approved.

In the drinking water and sanitation sector, project for water supply scheme in Risalpur was approved.

In the local government sector, approval was granted to three projects, including external electrification Phase-III Kotal Township Scheme, Kohat, provision for contractors’ decretal and accrued liabilities, and uncashed cheques and establishment of water and sanitation services companies in divisional headquarters, including Mardan, Hangu, Malakand, Kohat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan.

In the special initiatives sector, the PDWP approved the Sasta Aata Ghee Khasoosi Package, while in the social welfare sector, the establishment of model institutes for street children in Nasapa area of Peshawar was okayed.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play