PESHAWAR – The first-ever historic meeting of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet, with Chief Minister, Mahmood Khan in chair in this border town, while declaring merged tribal districts as `tax free’ areas, on Thursday decided to exempt them from provincial taxes, supposed to be levied after the merger.
It decided that taxes already in vogue in the erstwhile FATA will remain intact and no new tax will be extended to merged districts.
The entire cabinet ministers, advisers and provincial government’s machinery moved to this border town in a bid to a give a sense of ownership to tribal people in the national development.
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Briefing newsmen about the decisions taken in the cabinet meeting held in Jirga Hall Landi Kotal, Information Minister KP, Shaukat Yousafzai said that the Railway track from Peshawar to Landi Kotal would be restored to revive the glorious Safari Train service from Peshawar to Landi Kotal.
The cabinet also approved formation of Tourism Development Authority KP comprising Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary Finance and Secretary Sports as its members.
The authority will initiate, plan, facilitate, manage, preserve and promote cultural heritage, develop destination and tourism as industry.
The committee will come up with solid recommendations for promotion of tourism in the province.
On this occasion, KPK Information Minister denied the impression that there was dispute between the Tourism and Forest department regarding ownership of Rest Houses.
He declared in clear terms that all the rest houses located at scenic resorts would be managed and supervised by Tourism department.
The cabinet also decided to slash the sales tax on service sector from 15 to 5 percent on Charted Accountant firms. Similarly, the Cabinet also approved supplementary grants for Swat Expressway and By-Pass projects.
He said the cabinet meeting also discussed the proposed bill regarding developing safety mechanism for coal mine workers in the province. The mine workers are working in very dangerous conditions and new law will focus on their safety at work place.
He said that scores of coal mine workers belonging to Dir, Shangla, Buner and Swat were killed in mine accidents due to lack of safety measures.
The KPK cabinet decided to take up the matter regarding payment of Net Hydel Profit on the small hydel dams to the districts where it has been constructed.
He continued that scores of small dams are constructed in Shangla and Kohistal districts, but these are not being paid Net Hydel Profits.
The cabinet approved PC:1 for construction of Tehsil buildings in 16 Tehsils of merged areas with the objective of extending municipal services there.
Shaukat Yousafzai said the cabinet meeting focused on decisions taken by the government for implementation in erstwhile FATA. In this regard, he added, important decisions were taken for promotion of tourism in the merged areas.
The cabinet also decided to start Safari Bus service in the tribal districts, he said.
The cabinet also directs for induction of 17000 employees in various vacant positions in the merged areas on merit basis. Similarly, approval was also given to imparting of training to 2000 tribal students.
Provincial Secretary Health, Dr. Farooq Jamil briefed the cabinet about the first health policy 2018-25 under which health care system in the hospitals would be strengthen with main focus on provision of standard, durable health facilities to the citizens.
The new health policy would also envisages accountability and transparency in the human resources, management, governance in the health facilities, Dr. Jamil added.
Special focus will be given on preventive measures to stop spread of epidemics besides formulating efficient mechanism for responding to emergencies in the hospitals.
The cabinet after holding discussion on the health policy, accorded approval to it.
Speaking on the occasion, Provincial Health Minister, Dr. Hisham told the cabinet that the lacunae would be removed in the health sector to ensure better medicare facilities in the public sector hospitals.
The poor segment of the society to benefit from the policy, Dr. Hisham apprised the cabinet.
The Finance Minister, Taimur Saleem Jhagra told cabinet that a task
force will be raised for effective guarding of Torkham border. The provincial government has requested the federal government for payment of Rs. 10 billion for the merged tribal districts for the infrastructure development.
IGP KP Police, Salauddin Mehsud told the cabinet that `Shalwar-Kameez’ will be Police uniform in the merged districts adding decisions to this affect was taken while keeping in view tribal traditions in view.
There is proper quota for the merged areas in the CPEC force to be created in the country, he added.
The IGP also informed the cabinet that 22000 khasadar Levy force will be merged into regular Police and added that kins of the disabled khasadar and Levy personnel over 60 years age would be inducted in the police force.
