The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government aims to expand its development portfolio to over Rs1 trillion within the next four years, as revealed in a provincial cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Friday.
The plan builds on measures taken by the provincial government to accelerate growth.
The meeting was attended by cabinet members, Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretaries, Senior Member Board of Revenue, and Administrative Secretaries.
The Chief Minister directed that all development and welfare projects be completed on merit and within the stipulated timeframe. He instructed cabinet members to review departmental performance regularly and oversee the progress of development initiatives.
The Chief Minister emphasized maintaining quality standards and urged cabinet members to monitor projects in their respective districts and regions. He stated that sustainable development and employment generation are key to reducing terrorism and ensuring stability and peace in the province.
The cabinet received a briefing on the progress of development schemes under Strategic High-Impact Flagship Targets (SHIFT). These initiatives aim to promote development and improve living standards, especially in underserved regions of the province.
Currently, SHIFT includes 51 projects in social, infrastructure, economic development, governance, and public administration sectors, with a total worth of Rs500 billion. More projects are expected to be added over time.
The Cabinet conditionally approved the extension of the Special Forum till June 2027, subject to federal funding, to ensure oversight of reconstruction projects for Temporary Displaced Persons (TDPs) in merged districts. The Chief Minister stated that the government would continue efforts to improve the lives of people in merged districts.
The Cabinet approved including the “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Solarization of Houses Initiative” in the ADP 2024-25. Under the project, 130,000 households will be solarized, with free units provided to poor families and others offered through a bank loan partnership.
The Cabinet approved land allocation for a warehouse in Chitral Upper to improve the Provincial Disaster Management Authority’s response to emergencies. Land was also transferred to the Sports and Youth Affairs Department for the establishment of Jawan Markaz in Upper Chitral and Charsadda districts.
The Cabinet approved the declaration of emergency in district Hangu to facilitate TDPs from Kurram District, declared on January 22, 2025, and limited to temporary camps in Hangu. It also approved amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013 to improve access to information and increase government accountability.
Amendments to Section 11 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Control of Narcotics Substances Act 2019 were approved, and amendments to other sections of the Act were referred to a committee for further review. Two private members were appointed to the Upper Swat Development Authority Board.
The Chief Minister directed authorities to submit a report on the operational capacity and business model of the woodworking centers of the Small Industrial Development Board.
