CM Mahmood Khan directs depts to review laws to remove discrepancies

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed all the provincial departments to review their laws in conflict with those of other departments and propose necessary amendments to remove the discrepancies.

He was chairing a meeting of the provincial cabinet here on Monday, said a handout. Besides the cabinet members, the meeting was attended by additional chief secretary and administrative secretaries of the relevant departments. The chief minister said the cabinet should be given a detailed briefing about the latest situation of rules formulated so far under the laws passed during the tenure of the incumbent and previous provincial governments.

He directed that all those departments, which have not yet formulated rules under their new legislations, to make rules and submit for subsequent approval of the cabinet. Mahmood Khan ordered a detailed briefing to the provincial cabinet in its next meeting about the implementation status on all the decisions taken by the cabinet. He termed the fast-track promotion of construction and housing sectors as one of the priority areas and said the provincial government was taking measures to attract maximum private investment to create maximum jobs and boost economic activities.

However, he added that the protection of agricultural lands would also be ensured at all cost. He stressed the need for a comprehensive strategy to protect agriculture lands and directed that all the relevant departments sit together and devise a workable strategy for this purpose. The chief minister lauded the Mineral Development Department for record collection of revenue worth Rs 3.25 billion this year as compared to Rs 2.10 billion during the last year and directed all other departments to improve performance. Later briefing the media about the decisions taken in the provincial cabinet, Advisor to Chief Minister on Information, Ajmal Wazir said the cabinet has formally approved necessary amendments to the Local Government Act 2019 to promote economic activities and employment opportunities by facilitating the construction and private housing sectors.

Under these amendments, the entire cumbersome process of obtaining NoCs and approval of building plans for private housing schemes has been made easier to encourage and attract private sector investment. He said the rights of consumers and private investors have also been protected through these amendments. Ajmal Wazir said the cabinet had approved a mechanism for the signing of Memorandum of Understanding in the public sector.

According to the approved mechanism, prior approval of the cabinet has been made mandatory for all the MoUs involving financial implications in government funding. However, the approval of the MoU involving only technical assistance would be taken from the chief minister through a summary. The cabinet approved the proposed amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mines & Minerals Act 2017 adding two additional members to Minerals Titles Committee.

The cabinet approved the change in the nomenclature of Bagh Dehari irrigation scheme to Shamozai irrigation scheme in Swat. The meeting approved the de-federalization of Chitral-Ayun-Bamboret road by handing over its control to Communication & Works Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Ajmal Wazir said the cabinet approved the appointment of Professor Tasbihullah as Director of Higher Education Research & Training. The cabinet okayed enhancement in the approval scope of Departmental Development Working Party from Rs 100 million to Rs 200 million for the approval of developmental schemes. The cabinet after threadbare discussion on the proposed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Healthcare Service Providers & Facilities (Prevention of Violence & Damage To Property) Act 2020, decided to constitute a cabinet committee headed by the health minister to fine tune the draft law and submit the same to the cabinet for approval in the next meeting.