The provincial government of NWFP has decided to convene a meeting of the administrative secretaries of all the departments in the province. During the meeting the administrative secretaries would be given special targets for achievement during the financial year.
Senior Minister for Planning and Development, Rahimdad Khan, stated this in his speech on the provincial budget for the financial year 2009-10 here at provincial assembly on Saturday. Speaker Kiramatullah Khan, who was chairing the proceedings, took notice of the absence of the administrative secretaries from the house.
Replying to questions and objections raised by the members from both treasury and opposition benches of the house, he said that incorrect figures and statistics were presented in the house, while the prevailing situation had also ignored by the members. He said that the remaining amount of Rs 6 billion in the head of net profit on hydel generation would be paid to the province before the fall of the next financial year.
He said that the provincial government had reflected the Public Sector Development Programme's (PSDP) Rs 10 billion in its annual development programme (ADP), while the Rs 39 billion would be spent on the schemes identified by the province itself. He said that Malakand III Hydropower Project was fully operationalised and earning Rs 2 billion for the province.
Regarding criticism of the allocation of Rs 1 billion for the rehabilitation of the displaced persons from Swat, Dir Lower and Buner, he said that federal government had allocated a huge amount of Rs 50 billion for this purpose. The senior minister, who has been given the charge of the department of finance in the absence of Finance Minister, Mohammad Humanyun Khan, said that the survey of the destruction occurred during the militancy and military operation is being in progress.
He said that the IDPs from Swat, Buner and Dir Lower would be soon repatriated to their home districts. He said that work on the restoration of electricity to Buner has taken long time due to the long transmission line through Malakand and Swat. Regarding allocation of funds for 70 percent ongoing schemes, he admitted that ongoing schemes have become a huge liability for the provincial government.
He said that federal government has assured co-operation in the development of the province. He rejected the criticism regarding less allocation on law and order, saying federal government had allocated Rs 24 billion for it while in education sector, federal government had pledged construction of 1000 primary schools in the province.
Rahimdad Khan said that the federal government would provide funds for the purchase of 200 CNG buses and the provincial government would have to establish bus stand and stops to provide the environment friendly transport service to the people.
Dispelling the impression of the legislators from Hazara that the region has been ignored in development schemes, he said that federal government has already approved the construction of 100-kilometer Expressway from Hassan Abdal to Mansehra, while another such quality road would connect Mansehra with Bhasha.
In irrigation sector, he said that huge amount has been sanctioned for the construction of Baizi Irrigation Scheme, while water supply scheme from Warsak Dam and construction of the Southern By-pass have also included in the PSDP. The construction of the Warsak Canal would cost Rs 4.5 billion. Similarly, Gomal Zam Dam and Chashma Right Bank Canal would be constructed to irrigate 0.3 million acre agricultural land in the province.
About dispute with the Wapda over outstanding amount of Rs 110 billion as decided by the arbitration tribunal, he said that the prime minister has sought a time of two months. He said that technical committee on the subject had completed the report. He was optimistic that the province would receive the outstanding amount during the current financial year.
Earlier, members from both treasury and opposition benches delivered the speeches on the budget. Members from not only opposition, but some members from treasury benches included parliamentary leader of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Abdul Akbar Khan and Saqibullah Khan Chamkani of Awami National Party (ANP) criticised the budget.
Those who participated in the debate were Shah Hussein Alai, Malik Mohammad Qasim Khattak, Ziyad Akram Durrani, Mufti Said Janan, Dr Iqbal Fana (MMA), Qalandar Khan Lodhi, Ghulam Mohammad, Nighat Yasmeen Orakzai (PML-Q), Israrullah Khan Gandapur (PPP-Sherpao), Inayatullah Jadoon, Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha, Abdul Sattar and Shazia Aurangzeb (PML-N), Mahmood Alam, Maulvi Obaidullah from district Kohistan and Noor Sahar PPP. The chair later adjourned the proceedings of the house till Monday.