In Peshawar, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet has sanctioned the allocation of Rs1.15 billion as an Eid financial aid package. This package will be distributed among 1,15,000 underprivileged families in the province, with each family receiving Rs10,000 to celebrate Eid.
The statement mentions that the families of fallen police officers, who are considered martyrs, will also be among the recipients. They will be provided with financial assistance from the Police Department, as per the information provided in the release.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur led the cabinet meeting, during which several crucial decisions were made. Present at the meeting were various ministers, advisors, the chief secretary, and administrative secretaries.
A committee was formed by the cabinet to address the concerns of officers from attached departments, following the instructions from the Peshawar High Court (PHC) regarding the need to minimize salary disparities between officers of attached departments and other cadres.
The committee will consist of financial advisors to the chief minister, along with the ministers and secretaries from the departments of Planning & Development, Establishment, and Population Welfare.
In response to a writ petition submitted by over 973 officers from various attached departments, the Public Health Commission (PHC) has instructed the government to address the concerns of these petitioners.
The concerns involve granting them allowances equivalent to 1.5% of their basic pay, similar to officers of other cadres. This action is based on Article 38(e) of the Constitution and the Principle of policy as stated in Article 29(2). The primary goal is to eliminate disparity and discrimination among civil servants.
The Finance Department objected to the proposal due to limited resources and the ongoing financial difficulties of the province. However, the cabinet approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right of Digital Way Policy, which establishes a system to expedite the resolution of public and private right-of-way concerns often experienced by telecommunications companies. This policy aims to enhance fiber connectivity, benefiting both the public and private sectors.
A committee, consisting of ministers and heads from the Communication, Works, Irrigation, and Local Government departments, was established to implement this policy uniformly across the province.
Additionally, another committee was formed to classify the recruitment posts within 15 days and determine if they should be filled through ETEA or the respective technical departments/organizations.
The cabinet instructed that all provincial departments and organizations must acquire a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from ETEA prior to executing screening tests for recruitment via private entities (excluding ETEA). Additionally, the cabinet endorsed the Zone Development Agreement for the Pakistan Digital City Haripur Project.
The Pakistan Digital City Haripur, a pioneering Special Technology Zone in the country, is being developed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board. This initiative falls under the supervision of the Science and Technology Department and the Information Technology Department.
The cabinet has endorsed the “Draft Rules for the Position of PEDO Chief Executive Officer and Members of the Executive Committee (Terms and Conditions) Rules, 2024.” They have also approved borrowing a loan of US$ 30 million from the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) to contribute to the reconstruction of Malakand region’s infrastructure.
Additionally, the decision includes retaining 100 BS-17 head nurses in MTI’s hospitals across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Lastly, they agreed to procure various gadgets and equipment for police forces in the merged districts.
