CRBC project vital for self-sufficiency in agri production: CM

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has termed the food security need of the hour and said that Chashma Right Bank Lift Canal (CRBC) project was of vital to make the province self-sufficient in agriculture production.

The CRBC project would be executed at all cost for which all the available options would be utilized, he said this while presiding over a meeting to review the progress on mega developmental projects at CM Secretariat on Monday.

Advisor to CM on Industries Abdul Karim, Additional Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir, Administrative Secretaries of concerned departments and other relevant officials attended the meeting.

The meeting was briefed in details about the progress made so far on various mega projects including Khyber Pass Economic Corridor, Rashakai Special Economic Zone, Peshawar-D.I.Khan Motorway, Swat Motorway, Dir Motorway, CPEC City Nowshera, Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme, Hattar Special Economic Zone, Chashma Right Bank Canal, Insaf Rozgar Scheme, Development of Access Roads to tourists spots in Hazara and Malakand Division.

He directed the authorities concerned to submit report on all the feasible options for the financing of this mega project including making it the part of CPEC projects.

“Completion of the project would not only be helpful to make the province self sufficient in agriculture production but would also create tremendous employment opportunities for the people”, he added.

The meeting was apprised that the PC-1 of PSDP project “Khyber Pass Economic Corridor” had been approved by ECNEC and phase-I of the Swat Motorway Project had been completed and opened for vehicular traffic whereas PC-1 for the acquisition of land for Phase-II of Swat Motorway was also approved by the relevant forum.

The meeting was told that preparations for ground breaking of Rashakai Special Economic Zone were almost completed and hopefully ground breaking of the project would be performed by the end of November 2020.

It was further informed that over 700 applications had been received for setting up of industries in Rashakai Special Economic Zone.

Similarly, PC-II for feasibility and design of Peshawar to D.I.Khan Motorway had been approved by relevant forum whereas feasibility of Dir Motorway Project was underway.

Briefing about the progress made so far on Insaf Rozgar Scheme, the forum was apprised that 97% of funds released for this project had been utilized.

The forum was also informed that work orders for the construction of 60 Km long five different access roads to tourist spots of Hazara division had already been issued.

Similarly, work orders had been issued for development of 35 Km long different roads in order to ensure easy access of tourists to the tourists spots of the Malakand division.

The meeting was also briefed on the progress made so far on Khyber Pass Economic Corridor and told that feasibility study for the first component of the project “Development of Expressway” was in progress while the matter regarding master planning of second component “Economic Development” has been taken up with the World Bank.

In order to provide online services to citizens, work on the establishment of citizen facilitation centers has been started.

Under this project initially three citizen facilitation centers would be established.

The Chief Minister directed the authorities concerned that establishment of Citizen Facilitation Centers at all Divisional Headquarters of the province should be included in the project.

He termed the timely completion of all mega projects as one of the top most priorities of his government and directed the provincial departments to ensure completion of mega projects within the stipulated timelines.

“Any delay in the completion of these projects would not be tolerated and action would be taken against the responsible for unnecessary delay in the completion of projects”, he directed.