Three federal government funded agriculture sector projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could not be implemented and a fund to the tone of Rs 103.727 million remained unutilized for last thirteen years. Due to failure in timely completion the cost of the projects had reached to Rs 202.500 million.
The projects were included the establishment of Dhaki Dates Processing Plant at D I Khan, Haripur Collection Point & Cold Storage and Batkhela Collection Point & Cold Storage. The objectives of the projects were to cater to the demands of fruits and vegetable growers, processors and exporters and to focus on entire supply chain and were funded under Export Development Fund (EDF).
For the purpose of the implementation of the projects, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) also held a meeting with Secretary, Agriculture and Livestock, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and discussed the revival of the EDF funded projects.
The SMEDA KP authorities also visited the sites of all three projects and held meetings with the stakeholders facilitated by the District Directors of Agriculture. A final meeting of the working group was also convened by the SMEDA at Sarhad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) on May 2015 and way forward was finalized in the meeting.
Similarly, the Secretary Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives KP also chaired a meeting and instructed that the idea of Sasta Bazaar at Haripur Collection Point doesn't match with the project's export oriented scope and that is time to commence the project as per the scope.
Regarding Dhaki Dates Processing unit, the Secretary directed for revisiting the dates processing potential and intervention and directed collecting suggestions from the stakeholders while for Bakhela Collection Point, he directed for contacting Small Industries Development Board (SIDB) for provision of 100 kanal land at Dargai Industrial Estate while SMEDA will assess all the three projects and put recommendations for future course of action.
Following the initiative of the Secretary Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives KP, the SMEDA held meetings with private sector representatives regarding Haripur Project, conducted survey at Dhaki D I Khan and also contacted the stakeholders of Batkhela Project, including DD Agriculture and private sector for exploring the land availability options for the project.
The approved cost of the Dhaki Dates Processing Plant was Rs 24.127 million and the provincial government was required to provide land, whose cost was estimated at Rs 3.727 million. The EDF had already released a fund of Rs 20.400 million in April 2004 while land was also transferred in March but the project never started.
According to the revised estimate, the project will now cost Rs 102.500 million while a balance of Rs 37.282 million is already available in the account of the project.
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