The Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) held its meeting under the Chairmanship of Muhammad Azam Khan, Additional Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by its members and respective administrative Secretaries.
The forum considered 30 projects pertaining to different sectors including agriculture, Food, Environment, Elementary & Secondary Education, Higher Education, Sports & Tourism, Energy & Power, Local Development and Multi Sectoral Development for the uplift of the province. The forum approved 24 Projects with an estimated cost of Rs 16496.932millions. Four projects were deferred due to inadequate designs.
In the Agriculture sector approved projects were "Small Farmers Land Development / Reclamation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, F/S and Establishment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Seed Corporation, Plantation of Five Million Olive Saplings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Maintenance of Model Farm, Sangbhatti, Improvement of Trout Hatchery at Madyan Swat & Carp Hatchery at Sher Abad Peshawar with Training Centers, Establishment of Insaf Veterinary Clinics, Development of Fisheries and Aquaculture in KPK, Sustainable Agriculture Development for Food Security through Integrated Approach in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Insaf Food Security Programme in KP, Improvement and Lining of Water Courses in KPK, Reclamation of Degraded Soils Through Soil Conservation Practices in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (80:20), Mass Vaccination Treatment and Artificial Insemination in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Meat and Dairy Production and Development with Market Linkages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Genetic Improvement of Local Goats through Cross Breeding with Saanen Goat in Malakand Region".
In the Food sector only approved project was "Provision of Weigh Stations in Existing Food Grain Godowns in the Province". While approving the Agriculture and Food Sector projects the Chair directed that the following activities approved in the above projects may be highlighted for the awareness of the general public. Small Farmers Land Reclamation & Development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Approved cost ADP Cost. Rs 2631.000 million (Government Share Rs 2100.00 and beneficiaries share Rs 531 million).
The Provincial Government will give loan of Rs 25000 per acres for land reclamation and land levelling to farmers as subsidies (non-refundable) to bring about 80000 acres additional land under cultivation from the subject scheme. Plantation of Five Million olive saplings and Maintenance of Model Farm Sangbhatti costing Rs 1154.173 million. Under the project provincial Government will give free saplings/plants of olive in the province to prospective farmers having minimum of one acre land to increase the olive oil production in the province. Establishment of Insaf Veterinary Clinic (IVC) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa approved cost Rs 500.00 million.
The Provincial Government will give Rs 0.5 million interest free loan to pass out Veterinary Graduate to bridge the gap between the livestock farmers and animal Health services' providers in unattended areas where there is no livestock services available. The loan will be returned in five years, however if the applicant fails to provide the services, then the loan will be returned with 5% interest. "Insaf Food Security Program in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa" Cost Rs 2799.124.
The Provincial Government will provide 50 kg wheat seed to each farmer who has registered in the Model Farm Services Centre in the district, while the farmers will contribute only Rs 500 per bag. It will enhance the production of wheat in the province by providing quality seed to the farmers. Revised Promotion of Carp Fisheries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (JICA Assisted) cost Rs 7.008 million.
The Provincial government will provide grant on 50:50 sharing basis to the farmers to establish fish ponds in District Peshawar, Nowsehra and Mardan. The Department of Fisheries and Water management will give only technical input to the farmer, while all the works will be implemented through Beneficiaries and the department will make payment to the farmers.