PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet on Wednesday decided that the local body elections in the province would be held on Sept 15 this year.

The cabinet met here with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair and provincial ministers, chief minister’s aides and administrative secretaries in attendance.

Law minister Sultan Mohammad Khan and adviser to the chief minister on science and information technology Ziaullah Bangash told reporters later that the decision about local government polls was a big development.

Mr Sultan said the provincial government would team up with the Election Commission of Pakistan for the holding of the Sept 15 elections.

He said the local government elections would ensure the delegation of powers to the grassroots level and it would be a milestone.

The minister said the cabinet examined 37 agenda items and approved 30 of them in the five hours long meeting.

Cabinet also approves formation of youth uplift commission

He said the cabinet also decided that it would meet every Tuesday.

Mr Sultan said the cabinet formally approved the Probation and Parole Act, 2020, to ease the conditional release of the people imprisoned for misdemeanors and release on parole.

Mr Bangash said the chief minister also directed the government departments to implement the legislation by the provincial government to benefit the people. The chief minister also asked the departments to ensure proper maintenance of their vehicles.

Mr Bangash said the cabinet also approved Rs3.67 billion supplementary grant for gas supply to the gas producing districts of Kohat, Karak and Hangu.

The cabinet also approved finance rules of the KP Board of Investment and Trade and the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the State Bank of Pakistan and 1-Link for the easy payment of taxes through mobile and other digital platforms.

It approved the formation of the youth development commission.

Mr Bangash said the cabinet also approved Rs100 million grant for the smooth functioning of the recently-formed Kumrat, Kalam, Kalash and Malam Jabba development authorities and additional funds for setting up a cricket ground inside the Hayatabad Sports Complex.

Approval was also granted to the allotment of 156 kanals of additional land for the 884 megawatts Suki Kinari hydropower project.

The cabinet also decided to form the directorate of professional development for teacher training after the merger of the regional institute of teachers’ education and provincial institute of teachers’ education for both in-person and online teacher training.

It approved the decision of holding the second shift in government schools of the province and grant of stipend to both private and government teachers imparting education training to students.

The teachers will be hired on fixed pay and primary teachers will be paid Rs12,000 per month, middle teachers Rs15,000, high school ones Rs18,000 and higher secondary school ones Rs20,000. The clerical staff will receive Rs7,000 and Class-IV Rs5,000 every month.

The double shift plan will be enforced from financial year 2021-22 and the terms and conditions will be purely temporarily.

Mr Bangash said the second shift of middle classes would take place in primary schools, those of high schools in middle schools, and higher secondary ones in high schools.

He said the cabinet also approved the water commission and water regulatory authority for efficient water resource management. Both the bodies will work under the supervision of the chief minister and additional chief secretary.

The CM’s aide said the cabinet formally approved a uniform system of education in the province that was a revolutionary step, while the chief minister ordered the incorporation of the local languages, including Pashto, Hindko, Saraiki, Kohwar and others, in the new curriculum.

The cabinet also approved a proposed amendment to the rules of employees of board of intermediate and secondary education. A committee has been formed to make recommendations on it.

The cabinet dissolved the board of governors of the Qazi Hussain Ahmad Medical Teaching Institute over poor performance.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2021