Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has expressed willingness for investment in Changla Gali Islamabad Road, construction of small dams, solarization of divisional and district headquarters offices, Chitral grid station, transmission lines, infrastructure development and some other proposed projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The offer was made during the meeting of a delegation of AIIB, which called on KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak here on Tuesday.
Acting Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Azam Khan, provincial secretaries planning and developments, Elementary & Secondary Education, Irrigation and Energy, Chief Executive Oil and Gas Company, Special Secretary Health and others also attended the meeting. The delegation was briefed in detailed on projects of education, health, water supply, energy, roads, railway net work, solarization and Infrastructure etc.
The delegation was presented some feasible and readily available projects for the immediate investment and with prospects of high returns. The meeting was told that provincial government was constructing 13 small dams with estimated cost of Rs 20,725 million that would yield an income of Rs 4,253 million annually.
The internal economic rate of its return is estimated as 13.19 per cent while the execution period was up to 5 years. It was told that these projects would bring additional land of 59,174 acres under cultivation besides provision of potable water and other social and economic benefits as well as protection of fertile lands from floods.
It was further said that completion of 3444km canal patrol roads would further irrigate 1.445 million acres. Its estimated cost is Rs 26.16 billion while its completion would facilitate approximately a population of 10.25 million.
The irrigation department has already completed the documentation process of these projects. Similarly, about 0.35 million locals would be benefited from Changla Gali Islamabad Dhamkanial Road project to be completed with estimated cost of Rs 1988.223 million. Annual income of US dollars 1.2 million was expected from this project.
It payback period is about 15 years. Its PC-I has been prepared. Similarly, there was vast capacity of investment in rail network under CPEC sector. Likewise, construction of grid station and transmission line in Chitral and hydel generation projects in other districts could also be executed with investment point of view.
The meeting was further told that working group has been constituted comprising representatives of all the departments concerned for close liaison with Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak welcomed the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) investment in different sectors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said that the provincial government has undertaken a number of drastic steps for facilitation of both local and foreign investors for the overall generations and economic growth of the province and the country. He reminded that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government was providing attractive incentives to the investors under its comprehensive Investment and Industrial Policy.
He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has become a feasible place for industrial and commerce activities. He reiterated the pledge of his Government that fool proof security was being guaranteed to investors as well as their investment and hence there was no issue of security anywhere in the Province.
Chief Minister assured that provincial government would provide all facilities to the investors under one window operation. He said provincial government wanted to complete all such joint venture with full speed. He said there were a number of identified and feasible projects with highly payback capacity.
He said provincial government has planned 4000 megawatt electricity in the province. He said projects of 2000 megawatt power generation were part of CPEC while agreements have also been signed with FWO for construction of vital power generation projects in Chitral.
He said work on 356 small hydel power projects was in full swing and 214 of them were completed and being handed over to the respective communities. He said a total of 10000 megawatt power generation potential existed only in Chitral.
Referring to the law and order situation in the province, Pervez Khattak said that security has become a non issue in our province adding that situation was quite different in the province than that of the past. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has become the most feasible and safest region for investment due to effective border management and other related measures.
He said even Fata would become cradle of peace and prosperity after its inclusion in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the near future that would also open new avenues of investment and opportunities in the entire region. He said that he was focusing all his attentions towards bright future of the province wherein the process of reforms continued in all the provincial departments. He said the speedy space of developmental measures would not only usher in new doors of progress and economic growth but would also pave way for international fraternity due to joint ventures with friendly countries.