KARAK: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti on Wednesday announced to increase oil and gas royalty for Karak 100 per cent and set up a university in the district.
He was speaking during a public meeting at Karak Development Authority (KDA) Township here.The chief minister said people of Karak had the foremost right over the district's natural resources.
"We'll increase oil and gas royalty for Karak district from the current five per cent to 10 per cent. Next year, Karak will get Rs1.2 billion royalty on oil and gas production," he said.
Mr Hoti said his government had planned to establish Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Company Limited to explore oil and gas resources in the province.
He announced Rs250 million for acquisition of 100 kanals of land to set up Karak University and said two degree colleges for girls would also be established in Banda Daud Shah and Latamber. He also said 17-kilometer single road to Kurd Sharif coalmines would be constructed at the cost of Rs280 million.
The chief minister said the government would begin power projects in the province by using net hydel profit, adding that a 2,000 megawatt project would be inaugurated in April in Madayan area of Swat.
He said Bacha Khan Poverty Alleviation Programme functioning in six union councils of Karak would be extended to the entire district in the next fiscal to resolve people's problems, including shortage of drinking water.
Mr Hoti said interest-free loans up to Rs300,000 were being provided to unemployed youth in the province to help them earn livelihood with dignity.
He said his government had received Rs1 billion extra in the National Finance Commission Award that would be used for people's welfare.
He said Rs1.3 billion had been allocated for development of 1,500 educated youth's professional skills and that in the first phase, 700 youth were being trained.
The chief minister said in education sector, the government had begun Stori Da Pakhtunkhwa and Rokahna Pakhtunkhwa programmes to provide better opportunities to talented yet poor students in the province.
He said work on 28 kilometers roads was underway in Karak district and that Rs280 million was being spent on the construction of Teri-Gurguri Road work on which was in final stage.
He said Rs3.27 billion had been used in Karak over the last four years and that 21 more primary schools would be opened in the district.
ANP provincial president Senator Afrasaib Khattak said 2.3 million people had become members of his party during a recent campaign. He said all ANP candidates won by-elections showing the party's growing popularity.
Provincial prisons minister Mian Nisar Gul, ANP provincial joint secretary Khursheed Khattak, ANP district president Usman Khattak and former provincial minister Nawabzada Mohsin Ali Khan also spoke to the public meeting.