PESHAWAR: The Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) approved development schemes worth Rs30.602 billion.

A meeting of PDWP was held here on Tuesday with Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah in the chair that approved the projects. Establishment of education city in Barwand, South Waziristan, is also among the approved schemes.

The meeting approved 27 projects pertaining to industries, higher education, communication and works, health, sports and tourism, Auqaf, social welfare, home and public health engineering departments.

The approved projects include construction of flood protection walls along Muqam nullah in Mardan, Kurram River, Kasho nullah, Chashma nullah, Speenatangi nullah and Tochi River.

The meeting also approved provision of viability gap funds, utility shifting and resettlement for construction of Swat Expressway.

The forum also approved establishment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa University of Technology in Nowshera; Fata youth skills development; construction of Zamung Kor in Swat; hockey turf in Buner, Swabi and Malakand; grant-in-aid for free education to students of tribal districts, capacity building and skill development of students of seminaries; rehabilitation of roads in Karak, Takht-i-Nusrati and Banda Daud Shah; and widening and rehabilitation of Chakia Junglan Sundar-Kalatian road in Mardan and Shahkail Pairan road in Mansehra.

The meeting approved construction of central police office in Peshawar; construction of purpose built building at Gajju Khan Medical College in Swabi; and sanitation scheme for Gandheri-II union council, Harichand-II union council, Qilla Mardhand, Behram Dheri, Showdag, Gandheri, Hisara Nehri and Abazai in Charsadda district.

The forum also approved rehabilitation and widening of Sultankhel Darra roads, Chapper Dara road, Karro Dara road, Bandai Serai Arrimanzai road, Galkorr Karbadai via Shalgah road and construction of bridge in Sadiqabad village of Dir Upper.

The approved schemes also include construction of Chupryal Bypass road in Swat; construction of a road from Gula Jan Kot to Naseebkhel in Tank; construction of road from Arzikhel to Nazankhel in Tank; and construction of Khwazakhela bypass in Swat.

Similarly, construction of a road to Chalghoza Forest in South Waziristan, blacktopping of roads and construction of different link roads in Wana sub-division South Waziristan were also approved.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2022