PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Thursday approved life insurance scheme for the entire province.
The scheme, at an annual cost of approximately Rs4.5 billion, will be implemented through State Life Insurance Corporation of (SLIC) Pakistan and the coverage will apply exclusively to death of head of a family during treatment under Sehat Card Plus Programme at empanelled hospitals.
The adviser to chief minister on information, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, said that during a cabinet meeting held with Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur in the chair, one-year extension in Sehat Card Plus Programme was approved.
He said that health department would share data of registered families with SLIC to facilitate identification of eligible head of families. He added that around 10.5 million families would be covered under the scheme.
Cabinet approves strategy to digitise all government payments
According to Mr Saif, during the cabinet meeting, chief minister appreciated the efforts of law enforcement agencies, civil administration and members of jirga for restoration of peace in Kurram district.
He said that the cabinet was on informed that during the crises, helicopter conducted 338 sorties transporting 29,140 kilograms of medicines and 9,290 passengers to and from the area. He added that the cabinet already approved widening and improvement of 76-kilometre Thall-Parachinar road at a cost of Rs9.6 billion.
Mr Saif said that the cabinet approved ‘KP Digital Payment and FinTech Strategy 2030’ providing for digitising all government payments; ensuring universal access to digital payments, simplifying and speeding up transactions for people and government, enabling real-time tracking and an oversight mechanism, promote public-private-FinTech collaboration and drive for financial literacy.
He said that the cabinet approved implementation of all announcements made by chief minister during the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-elected cabinet of Peshawar Press Club on Jan 29 including a one-time special grant of Rs50 million, increasing seed money for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Journalists Welfare Endowment Fund from Rs128 million to Rs200 million, issuance of original allotment letters in place of provisional ones to journalists, who acquired plots in New Peshawar Valley City, provision of monthly scholarships of Rs10,000 for one year to children of 100 journalists and distribution of free solar systems among deserving families of journalists through draw.
The cabinet approved establishment of Darsamand Community Game Reserve in Hangu that would be established over 1000 hectares of land. Key game birds and animals of the area mostly include black partridge, grey partridge, hare, porcupine, mongoose, jackals and reptiles.
The cabinet decided to support amendment in Article 27(1) of Constitution in a way to maintain reservation of quota in federal government service for different parts of the country for another 10 years.
In 2021, provincial assembly had passed a joint resolution recommending to provincial government to approach federal government for taking steps for amendments in Article 27 to extend the period for 10 more years on the expiration of the existing time.
Mr Saif said that the cabinet approved policy and working procedure for disposal of timber harvested under the defunct dry standing and wind fallen trees policy, 2003 and silvicultural operations in forests of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The cabinet also approved amendments to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Development Fund (Management and Utilisation) Rules, 2006 providing for emphases on reforestation.
The cabinet constituted a committee to finalise recommendation with regard to the policy decision to support or otherwise, Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024 moved by Senator Aon Abbas. This bill aims at creation of a new province in Punjab.
The cabinet approved one-time grant-in-aid of Rs50.91 million for KP Education Foundation aimed at re-imbursement of deficit amount of to KPEF under the CPEC/China scholarship. Under this scholarship 460 students were facilitated in pursuing studies at various Chinese universities.
The cabinet approved a grant-in-aid to rehabilitate drug addicts at Rs50,000 per patients as part of the drugs-free Peshawar Phase-III Campaign.
The cabinet approved constitution of Board of Directors (BoD) of Small Industries Development Board (SIDB) and BoD of Board of Investment and Trade Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The meeting was attended by cabinet members, chief secretary, additional chief secretaries, senior member board of revenue, administrative secretaries and KP advocate general.
Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2025
