Peshawar
A meeting chaired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur was held on Tuesday via video link to review progress on development schemes under the District Development Plans (DDPs) and District Development Initiative (DDI).
The session reviewed both the financial and physical progress of ongoing development projects across districts, and several key decisions were made to ensure their timely completion. The meeting was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister on Finance Muzzammil Aslam, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Additional Chief Secretaries Ikramullah and Muhammad Abid Majeed, as well as senior officials from the Finance and Planning & Development Departments. Officials briefed the Chief Minister on various aspects of projects included in the DDP and DDI.
The Chief Minister directed the concerned departments to ensure early release of required funds for the completion of these schemes.
The meeting also reviewed matters related to the Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP) for the merged districts. It was decided in principle to release Rs. 12 billion as bridge financing to expedite work on ongoing projects. The Chief Minister instructed that the matter be placed before the provincial cabinet for formal approval.
Expressing concern over the federal government’s delay in releasing AIP funds, the Chief Minister emphasized that the financing of development schemes in the merged districts is the federal government’s responsibility, which it has failed to fulfill.
He noted that the provincial government is currently utilizing its own resources to fund development projects in these districts to mitigate public hardship caused by delays.
He warned that continued neglect by the federal government in releasing development funds for the merged districts is exacerbating local issues. The provincial government, he added, will formulate a strategy in consultation with the elected representatives of the merged districts to address this problem.
The Chief Minister stressed that there will be no compromise on transparency, merit, and quality of work in development projects. Relevant authorities were instructed to ensure timely completion without compromising standards.
He further underscored the importance of effective planning, fast-track implementation, prudent use of funds, elimination of duplication, and institutional capacity building for sustainable development. To this end, he directed that the entire project cycle be digitized.
The Chief Minister made it clear that unnecessary delays in project execution will not be tolerated and called for strengthening the existing monitoring mechanisms to ensure adherence to quality and timelines.
