PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government cleared Rs78.5 billion inherited liabilities and increased revenue by more than 49 per cent, a meeting of provincial cabinet was told.

The 23rd meeting of provincial cabinet was held at Civil Secretariat with Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur in the chair, said a statement issued here on Wednesday.

The meeting was told that surplus budget during the last six months crossed Rs169 billion. Ministers, advisers, special assistants, chief secretary, additional chief secretaries, senior member board of revenue and administrative secretaries participated in the meeting.

The meeting was told that provincial government established a debt management fund to pay off debts and added Rs30 billion to that fund besides launching numerous welfare initiatives.

Ramazan package will be presented next week

In his opening remarks, the chief minister said that the draft Ramazan package of provincial government was almost ready and would be presented to the cabinet next week.

He said that each parliamentarian would send a list of 5,000 poor people from his constituency and they would be given Rs10,000 each as part of Ramazan package.

He said that all parliamentarians should ensure that names, photo copies of the Computerised National Identity Cards and easy paisa accounts of those people reach the relevant offices timely. He said that local administration should be mobilised so that no profiteer could exploit people during the holy month of Ramazan. He also stressed the need for ensuring transparency in the process.

It was said that the 26th meeting of cabinet would review the one-year performance of each and every provincial department.

The cabinet approved provision of Rs1,212.96 million as a non-ADP scheme for the treatment of haemophilia patients in the province. The scheme will be funded jointly and equally by provincial government and Roche Pakistan. Currently, there are 850 haemophilia patients in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Of them, 65 children are unable to get treatment owing to high cost of medicines.

The cabinet approved Rs19.374 billion for construction of Buner-Karakar tunnel in Buner district and a bridge over the Indus River in Torghar district. The construction of Karakar tunnel will significantly reduce travel time between Buner and Swat while the bridge will reinforce the bonds of close relations among the people of Malakand, Hazara and Mardan divisions.

The cabinet also approved re-appropriation of the unspent amount of Rs781.485 million from the scheme titled ‘development of tourist spots in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’ to the project named ‘rehabilitation of flood damaged rural roads under the counter value funds’. The fund will now be utilised for construction of tourist roads.

It also approved provision of a grant of Rs100 million to sports and youth affairs department for revival of Youth Endowment Fund. This fund will be used for capacity building of youth organisations, financial assistance for participation in national and international conferences, cash prizes for outstanding youth and other youth-related activities.

The cabinet approved release of a grant of Rs80 million for Cadet College Mammad Gat in Mohmand tribal district and a grant-in-aid of Rs80 million for Peshawar Public School and College. It also approved increase in the fixed pay package for the chairman and members of Fata Tribunal, to bring it at par with other tribunals in the province.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2025