KP cabinet approves establishment of minerals development company

PESHAWAR: The provincial cabinet on Saturday approved the proposal for the establishment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minerals Development and Management Company, which will focus on exploring, excavating, processing, and marketing minerals.

An official handout said this was decided at the eighth meeting of the provincial cabinet with Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in the chair.

Ministers, advisors, special assistants, chief secretary, additional chief secretaries and relevant administrative secretaries attended the meeting, said an official communique.

The meeting underscored key initiatives to strengthen the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, enhance revenue from the mineral sector, and improve the execution of developmental schemes.

The chief minister emphasized the allocation of additional resources to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police to bolster law and order in the province.

He highlighted the need for improved revenue generation from the mineral sector through better structures and processes.

The draft bill for amendment to Section 116-A of the Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1965 duly endorsed by Law and Finance departments was placed before the provincial cabinet to re-allocate the 25 percent quota/share of traffic

fines from traffic education, awareness, purchase of machinery and equipment to 15 percent and the remaining 10 percent to be remitted to the Police Welfare Fund.

The cabinet approved a summary to introduce an online payment system and integrate the existing Motor Vehicle Registration System, Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department.

A summary for clearance of compensation cases with respect to property losses of people of Upper South Waziristan was presented in the cabinet.

The cabinet approved the summary as a non-ADP scheme/AIP titled Citizen Losses Compensation Programme South Waziristan Upper.

The amount will be paid by the federal government.

The Home and Tribal Affairs Department placed a case to allow inclusion of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN)

and Potassium Chlorate in the definition of Explosives exercising its powers

as enunciated in Section 2 (f) clause (iii) and section 23 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Explosives Act, 2013.

This was approved by the provincial cabinet.

A summary for implementation plans for proposed energy conservation measures were placed before the cabinet. The cabinet as recommended by the Energy and Power Department approved the amendments in rules of Business, 1985 empowering the Provincial Electric Inspectorate to enforce NEECA Laws/rules/regulations/instructions/guidelines/codes in respect of Energy Conservation in all the sectors across the province.

The Agriculture Department presented a proposal for the reconstitution of the Pakistan Tobacco Board which was approved. As the tenure of the board expired on 23-01-2014, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Islamabad requested the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for the nomination of three progressive tobacco growers to be notified as members of PTB for the next tenure under section 3(1)(b) and one official member under 3(1)(d).

A panel as nominated by the Search and Nomination Council for non-official members of the Boards of Governors Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Foundation was placed before the cabinet. The cabinet approved the names of Dr Shabana Haider as Chairperson and Hasnain Khurshid Ahmad, Muhammad Yahya, Anam Saeed and Dr. Sobia Sabir Ali as members.

The cabinet also approved a summary for clearance of compensation cases with respect to property losses of citizens of Upeer South Waziristan at the cost of Rs1.5. The amount will be paid by the federal government.