KP cabinet approves draft legislation to regulate livestock, poultry production

PESHAWAR: The 11th Meeting of the Provincial Cabinet was held at Civil Secretariat; Peshawar on Tuesday presided by Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur.

The meeting was attended by Ministers, Advisors, Special Assistants, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Additional Chief Secretaries and Administrative Secretaries.

Chairing the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur, directed cabinet members to devise a plan for weekly visits to districts to inspect public service delivery and monitor the progress of developmental projects. He emphasized that special attention should be given to activities in the Merged Districts.

Additionally, he instructed the departments particularly education and health to prioritize strengthening human resource deployment in Merged Districts, ensuring that the placement of personnel strictly adheres to a domicile-centric policy.

The provincial cabinet has approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Livestock and Poultry Production Act 2024 thus allowing its placement before the provincial assembly. With the promulgation of the act the Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Department will be able to register and regulate the livestock and poultry production activities in the province. The cabinet has approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Animal Welfare Act, 2024 for placement before the provincial assembly. This legislation aimed at prevention of infliction of unnecessary pain to animals and to set standards regarding humane handling, treatment and transportation of animals in the province.

The provincial cabinet has approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Livestock Breeding Services Act, 2024 allowing its placement before the provincial assembly. This legislation is aimed at regulation of livestock breeding services, improve the genetic potential of breeds and protect indigenous breeds of livestock and to provide for improvement, control, marketing and quality assurance of livestock in the province.

As a stance of the province the provincial cabinet has approved a set of forward-looking recommendations to be included in the position paper for the upcoming National Finance Commission (NFC) award. Among these recommendations is the demand for the establishment of a 10-year grant, termed the 'Pakistan Building Grant,' sourced from the Federal Divisible Pool. This grant aims to address significant financial needs and development deficits that have accumulated since the 7th NFC award. Additionally, the cabinet has called for an interim adjustment to bring the 7th NFC Award into compliance with the Constitution of Pakistan, recommending that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa share in the new award be recalculated to include the population and area of the newly merged areas within the province.

The provincial cabinet has approved the forwarding of Resolution No. 18, adapted by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly, to the Federal Government. The resolution, introduced by MPA Muhammad Abdul Salam, denounces the ordinance related to appointing retired judges to the election tribunal as a "black law" and demands that the Federal Government withdraw the ordinance. The resolution also states that the appointment of retired judges to the election tribunal is tantamount to undermining justice and democracy, and it has brought disrepute to the country on the international stage.

The provincial cabinet has approved a grant-in-aid of Rs326.40 million for the Drug Free Peshawar Programme Phase-III and Rs23.10 million for the Beggars Free Peshawar Programme, aiming to eliminate drug addiction and beggary from the streets of Peshawar. The department plans to rehabilitate 2,000 drug addicts in Phase-III of the Drug Free Peshawar Programme. During the deliberations, the Chief Minister directed the social welfare department to offer free services to families across the province that wish to rehabilitate a drug-addicted family member but cannot afford the treatment.

The provincial cabinet has accorded approval for the cost enhancement from rupees 87.700 million to rupees 152.00 million for the ADP scheme of repair and rehabilitation of Mahabat Khan Mosque Peshawar. The project is aimed at preserving and restoration of the historical Masjid to its original grandeur. Besides, conservation of the structure, restoration of fountain pond, water supply, CCTV System, sound system, illumination work, renovation of ablution area and provision of motorized sun shed are part of the project.

As per the policy of devolving the financial and administrative powers to divisional headquarters for speedy development the cabinet has approved the establishment of a Regional Development Committee, to be led by the respective divisional commissioner. This decision also involves amending the Planning & Development Guidelines (2015) by the P&D Department, as well as revising the Powers of Sanctioning Development Projects/Programmes under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Delegation of Financial Powers Rules, 2018. The P&D Department will allocate the required technical human resources from its existing officer pool without creating new vacancies.

The cabinet has approved the creation of 35 numbers of posts of different nomenclatures in Administration Department for the newly declared Khyber Pakhtunkhwa house in D.I.Khan. This was aimed at strengthening of facilities for the smooth devolution of the financial and administrative powers to divisional level.

The provincial cabinet has approved the release of 1.377 billion rupees to the Food Department to settle the remaining wheat procurement liabilities for growers, suppliers, and their authorized representatives at 22 wheat procurement centers. This brings the total financial obligations for the procurement of 208,993.873 MT of wheat to 20.377 billion rupees. The Finance Department had already disbursed 19 billion rupees to the Food Department, as per the decisions made in previous cabinet meetings.

In response to a request by the Union Council Sarai Naimat Khan, District Haripur, and a proposal by the Health Department, the provincial cabinet has approved renaming Category D Hospital Sarai Naimat Khan to Constable Azmat Rashid Shaheed Hospital. This change is made in recognition of Constable Azmat Rashid's Shahadat in the line of duty.

The provincial cabinet has approved non-ADP scheme titled ‘Payment of Salaries for 395 Vaccinators (BPS-12)’ for period from 1st July 2022 to 30th June 2024 at a cost of rupees 447.780 million. The vaccinators have already rendered services but their salaries have not been paid. The funds will be arranged through re-appropriation within Health sector ADP.

The cabinet has allowed the transfer of provincial government land measuring 2 kanal and 11 marla for construction of office building for District Education Officer (F) Hangu. The cabinet has approved the transfer of 4 kanal land from Health Department for establishment of Primary School at Yara Khel Marghuz Swabi district.

In light of the provision of section 9(1) of the PEDO Act, 2020, the provincial cabinet as recommended by the PEDO Policy Board has assigned the additional charge of the post of Chief Executive Officer PEDO to Chief Engineer PEDO Engineer Riaz Ahmad Jan. It is pertinent to mention here that the process of appointment of regular CEO is under way and two meetings of the search and scrutiny committee have been held.

To digitize the Property Tax record, and keeping in view additional units and time extension in PC-I the provincial cabinet has approved a waiver to Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department from KPPRA rules thus making the department continue one of its contracts with already working survey firm.

The cabinet has approved amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ministers (Salaries, Allowances, and Privileges) Act of 1975, along with revisions to the terms and conditions for the Advisors and Special Assistants to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As part of these changes, a house subsidy of rupees 200,000 per month has been granted to those provincial ministers, advisors, and special assistants who have not been allotted with government residence.

The cabinet has approved amendments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Resolution of Commercial Disputes Act, 2022. As per the amendments, consumer courts will function as commercial courts as well.

The provincial cabinet has withdrawn decision of the 86th cabinet meeting held on 17th January 2023 with respect to upgrade various educational cadre employees in the education department. This decision was taken keeping in view legal and administrative anomalies as identified by the Finance Department. A committee was constituted to devise mechanism for its phased implementation.

The provincial cabinet has approved revision in the PC-I of the detail design and construction of Pehur High Level Canal Extension district Swabi with a revised cost of 15654.18 million. The project will irrigate 12354 HA including further provision for 4424 HA.

The provincial cabinet has approved revision in the PC-I of the scheme Modification of Spillway, Exit Channel and Improvement of Irrigation System/Allied Components of Kundal Dam Project district Swabi with revised cost of 568.32 million.

The scheme provides dependable irrigation facility to potentially fertile land, presently raid fed area of 13340 acres. Besides irrigation, provision for drinking water supply to the extent of 0.5 cusecs exists in the scheme. The cabinet has approved Bridge financing worth rupees 400.00 million to support quick implementation of Gomal Zam Dam Command Area Development Project activities.

The provincial cabinet has approved amendments in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Elected Officials Remuneration and Allowances Rules 2022 with regard to enhancement in the honoraria of Chairman/Mayor/Tehsil/City Local Government from rupees 40,000 to rupees 80,000 and that of chairman VC/NC from rupees from 20,000 to 30,000 rupees.

The provincial cabinet has approved revised release policy for 2024-25 for development expenditure. The funds for on-going and new schemes under development expenditure will be released to each sector as proposed by the Planning & Development Department under the revised released policy.

Salary expenditure under current expenditure of the local governments will be released on monthly installment basis, whereas, non-salary will be released on quarterly installment basis. Besides, grants to local councils will be released on quarterly installment basis subject to availability of financial resources.

The cabinet has approved fresh para-wise comments for submitting to the Peshawar High Court in the writ petition title Syed Ghazan Jamal and others vs Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The writ petition pertains to provision of adequate financial resources to Merged Districts.

The cabinet has accorded approval for enhancement of cost from 287.349 million rupees to 352.944 million rupees in ADP schemes Construction of additional court rooms & missing facilities on need basis in District and Tehsil Judicial Complexes.

Beside, this the cabinet has approved the enhance cost of the project establishment of judicial complexes at Dargai, Thal, Shabqadar, Tank and Totalai teshils to the tune of rupees 958.693 million. The cabinet also approved a non-ADP grant amounting 199 million rupees for construction of court rooms, record rooms and offices in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Services Tribunal.

The cabinet has approved funds amounting to Rs200.00 million for the maintenance, repair, and snow clearance of the Barrian-Nathiagali-Abbottabad Road. Expenses in this regard will be borne by the Galiyat Development Authority.

Deliberating on the need creating 190 stipendiary slots of TMOs at Post-Graduate Medical Institute Peshawar the cabinet has formed a committee to look into the matter in detail and present recommendations.

The cabinet declined a proposal of the Health Department for transfer of a District Specialist Medicine from DHQ Hospital Wana, South Waziristan to DHQ Hospital MTI D.I.Khan. Commenting on the decision the Chief Minister directed to strengthen human resource needs in the merged districts on priority.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024