KP govt moves to reinvigorate tourism sector

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Thursday reconstituted a committee for reinvigorating the tourism sector and made a number of other decisions related to health, energy, communication, adjudication, finance, emergencies, good governance and development matters.

The measures were approved at a meeting of the provincial caretaker cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Syed Arshad Hussain Shah, said a handout.

The cabinet members and administrative secretaries participated in the meeting and deliberated on different agenda items taking decisions. 

The caretaker cabinet approved the provision of Rs.60 million for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Medical Transplantation Regulatory Authority.

The authority aims to regulate, control and monitor all human organ transplantation and the various committees constituted under the KP Medical Transplantation Regulatory Authority Act 2014.

The cabinet approved the reconstitution of the technical committee envisioned in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Rest Houses and Tourism Properties (Development, Management and Regulation) Act 2020.

The reconstitution was necessitated by the shuffling in the provincial cabinet and reinvigorating the tourism sector.

It was directed that commissioners of Malakand and Hazara divisions be taken as co-opt members concerning the properties located in their respective jurisdictions.

The cabinet approved the amendment to Kumrat and Kalash Development Authority Rules 2020. Under Section 19 (2) of the KP Tourism Act 2019, the Kumrat Development Authority was established which was followed by the notification of Kumrat Development Authority Rules 2020.

The authorities were directed to ensure the facilitation and safety of the tourists and also the tourist attractions areas at Kohat-Parachinar and Bajaur-Barawal transit.

It approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Deserving Artists Welfare Endowment Fund Rules 2022 for carrying out the purpose of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Deserving Artist Welfare Endowment Fund Act 2022.

The cabinet approved a supplementary grant amounting to rupees 609.119 million for payment to the owners of the 209 kanal land acquired for the construction of Police Line-II, in Mardan in compliance with the decision of the Supreme Court.

The cabinet approved the relaxation of the ban on transfer postings of the employees of the ex-CDLD in pursuance to Section 3 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Regularization of Services of Employees of District Governance and Community Development (CDLD)project 2022. Thus, the creation of 47 already supernumerary positions was also approved.

The cabinet decided to take up the issue of payment of enhanced compensation of the 1480 kanal land, the defunct SDA (Now KPEZDMC) has acquired for expansion of Nowshera Industrial Estate of which 185 acres had been transferred to PASDC (Pakistan Stone Development Company M/o Production and Industries) as per the decision of the Supreme Court.

The land was acquired at a cost of Rs.47.329 million in 2007 but the Supreme Court had now increased it to Rs.1.6 billion plus 6% simple interest from the date of acquisition till the date of payment.

The cabinet approved the territorial jurisdictions of the public sector universities under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act 2012.

The revival of the territorial jurisdiction of universities was necessitated by the problems faced by female colleges in the province affiliated with women universities and determining the territorial jurisdiction of the newly established universities.

The cabinet approved the release of a Rs.40 million loan as bridge financing for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transmission and Grid System Company, Energy and Power Department. The company had asked for a grant of Rs.107.405 but the Finance Department had agreed to release Rs.40 Million loan as bridge Financing and enable the Company to deposit the loan amount in its designated account in the Bank of Khyber.

Addressing the occasion, the chief minister emphasized the careful utilization of resources for the welfare of the public at large.