PESHAWAR: The provincial cabinet of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Monday gave conditional approval to revised Industrial Policy 2020 of the province. Under the revised policy various measures have been proposed for industrial development.
The meeting of the provincial cabinet held here with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair, Members of the provincial cabinet, Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary and administrative secretaries attended the cabinet meeting.
Prominent features of the policy include provision of various incentives to investors for promotion of domestic and foreign investment, linkages with industries, provision of facilities to industrialists under one-window operation for small and medium enterprises. These also include provision of easy loans, provision of conducive environment for setting up industries in the province and rehabilitation of old and sick industries.
The Chief Minister also directed the Minerals Department to take stern action for curbing the illegal extraction of sand and gravel from the rivers in Swat and submit a report in this regard within a week. He also directed the Forest Department to take effective action against illegal deforestation in some parts of the province.
The Chief Minister directed the Industries Department to complete the preparations for the inauguration of two to three new Economic Zones in the month of January and expedite the work on providing electricity to the local industries at affordable rates. He also directed for preparation of Action Plan to relocate the established marble factories on Warsak Road, Peshawar.
The cabinet conditionally approved amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Arms Rules 2014, aimed at ensuring implementation of SOPs for shooting / gun clubs. Similarly, the cabinet also approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sentencing Bill 2020 under which minimum and maximum punishments have been proposed to facilitate the judiciary. The bill proposes the establishment of a sentencing council, which will make recommendations for the overall improvement of the criminal justice system.
The meeting also approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Legal Aid Rules 2020, under which the government will provide legal aid to all those who cannot afford to pursue their cases in the courts. A simple procedure has been formulated for the purpose of appointment of lawyers and determination of fees for this purpose.
The cabinet also approved procurement of vehicles for the newly appointed Additional District and Sessions Judges. The cabinet also approved the appointment of new members for the Board of Directors of Water and Sanitation Companies Mardan, DI Khan, Bannu and Abbottabad.
The cabinet also approved the establishment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Skills Development Fund Company and also deliberated on the appointment of its Chief Executive Officer and Directors. The cabinet constituted a committee comprising Cabinet Members Akbar Ayub, Sultan Khan, Timur Jhagra, Shahram Turki, Abdul Karim Khan and Shaukat Yousafzai to further improve the draft proposal and table their recommendations in the next meeting of the cabinet.
Briefing media, the Special Assistant further said that the cabinet also approved the provision of funds for generating employment opportunities for the youth and women-folk under the special initiatives of the Department of Sports, Tourism, Culture and Youth Affairs.
Under this program, youth will be provided interest free loans ranging from Rs. 5 to 20 lakhs in addition to providing necessary training for initiation of their own businesses. 20% of interest free loans will be specified for minorities, persons with disabilities and transgender.
Similarly, the cabinet also approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Youth Endowment Fund Management, Maintenance of Accounts & Audit Rules 2020 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Youth Affairs Management and disposal of immovable properties "maintenance of accounts and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prohibition of non-bio degradable plastic products" to discourage the use of polythene bags.
Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan directed the authority of Revenue Department to ensure issuance of "Fard" to the applicants within two days otherwise stern action would be taken against the concerned Patwaris.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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