Mahmood Khan terms the initiative a revolutionary step in higher education sector
PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet approved on Tuesday Rs998.500 million for the launching of ‘Insaf Taleem Card’ in the province.
A meeting of the cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, approved the funds for the ongoing financial year to benefit the students who are enrolled in the government colleges and facing hardships in paying their annual/semester admission fee.
Around 244858 students have been enrolled in 274 government colleges of KP.
Addressing the meeting Mahmood Khan termed the initiative of Insaf Taleem Card as a revolutionary step to ensure the provision of free education to the students of the colleges.
He expressed his concern over the delay in recruiting the required staff for schools, colleges, hospitals and other schemes.
Mahmood Khan directed the concerned authorities to prepare and submit SNEs within a week time in this regard so as to recruit the necessary staff at the earliest in the larger public interest.
The meeting besides the cabinet members was also attended by the Provincial Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, Senior Member Board of Revenue and Administrative Secretaries of various government departments.
Minister for Higher Education Kamran Bangash and Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif while briefing media persons about the decisions of the cabinet meeting at ITLA’A Cell informed that the launching of the Insaf Taleem Card was the second flagship project of the provincial government after the Insaf Sehat Sahulat Card, which will benefit millions of students in the province.
The cabinet approved the revision of forest duty on various forest produce to achieve the enhanced revenue targets as well as increase the rate of timber in the local market.
The forest duty on Blue Pine has been enhanced from the existing Rs40 per cft to Rs.50 per cft while that of the Chir, Fir/Spruce/Chilghoza/Quetta Pine and conifers increased from Rs.35 per cft to 40 per cft.
The cabinet approved the appointment of Dr Syed Subhanullah Shah, a retired professor, as Member Technical (BS-21), Environmental Protection Tribunal Peshawar for a term of three years.
Kamran Bangash and Barrister Saif further informed that the cabinet also accorded approval to extend Health Professional Allowance (HPA) to the Assistant Director Homeo/Tibb (BS-17) and Homeopathic Doctors and Tabbibs (BS-16) serving in various Government-run Health facilities of the province.
They further said that the Provincial Cabinet approved renaming the Cat-D Hospital Maidan Dir Lower as “Shaheed Malik Jehan Alam Hospital Maidan Dir-Lower” as a token of recognition for the services rendered by Malik Liaqat Ali, MPA and his family for the area.
He further said that the cabinet also approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tuberculosis Notification Rules, 2022.
They further said that the cabinet agreed to support the World Bank’s National Health Support Project (NHSP) for strengthening Primary Health Care in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The allocation for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the NHSP is 72.7 Million USD which included 50.9 Million USD as loan component and 21.8 Million USD as grant component.
The cabinet also approved the nomination of two persons as members for KP Blood Transfusion Authority for a period of three years.
They further informed that the cabinet also approved the draft agreement between the Provincial Housing Authority, Govt. of KP and Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority for the construction of 1320 flats at Jalozai Housing Scheme, District Nowshera.
He further informed that the cabinet also approved the proposal with regard to vacating the site/land measuring 06 Kanal 03 Marla at Warsak road Peshawar by the Irrigation Department and handing over its possession to the Housing Department for carrying out developmental work to establish a Multi-storey commercial and residential building.
The Irrigation Department will shift its offices to the alternate proposed site and the Housing Department will ensure payment of Rs65.00 million to Irrigation Department for the construction of their offices and shifting of machinery to the new site.
The expenditure so incurred will be included in the project cost and recovered from the potential allottees.
They further informed that the cabinet approved the extension of government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Educational and Training Institution Ordinance 1971 to Cadet College Mamad Gat (Mohmand) to give legal cover to the college.
They further said that the cabinet also approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Higher Education Research Endowment Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2022 with the purpose to include public sector colleges, reconstitute the Board of Directors, reshape powers and functions of the Board and other related provisions and audit of the fund by the AG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The cabinet, they further said, also approved the mutation of 100 Canal state land in the name of Higher Education Department for permanent establishment of the Gomal University Tank campus.
They said that the cabinet also approved the report/recommendations of the cabinet committee regarding the creation of a new zone i.e. Zone-VI, which includes the areas like Kohistan Upper, Kohistan Lower, Kolai Pallas Kohistan, Torghar, Battagram, Buner and Shangla, Tank and Backward areas of Swabi (Gadoon), Haripur and Mansehra.
They further informed that the cabinet approved enhancing the current support price of wheat from Rs 2600 per 40 kg to Rs 3000 per 40 kg to encourage the growers and achieve the goal of wheat self-sufficiency.
The provincial cabinet appointment of Muhammad Arshad , PCS(SG) BS-20 as Chief Executive Officer of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Charities Commission.
The cabinet also approved the establishment of Juvenile Justice Committees in each sessions division of the Province under the Juvenile Justice System Act, 2018.
ttees in each sessions division of the Province under the Juvenile Justice System Act, 2018.
