PESHAWAR: A delegation of Asian Development Bank (ADB) led by Country Director for Pakistan Xiaohong Yang on Thursday called on the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan in Islamabad.
KP Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra and Agriculture Secretary Mohammad Israr Khan were also present.
The delegation discussed issues related to the sustainable development of the province and the welfare of its people. The issues were discussed including to provision of both physical and soft infrastructure like agriculture, finance, roads network, communication, energy, tourism, drinking water, job creation, ICT, irrigation, mineral development, horticulture, strengthening the Province’ own revenue generation and good governance.
Talking to the delegation, the chief minister stressed for ADB’s technical and financial assistance in the timely completion of the BRT project in Peshawar. It was agreed that the provincial government and ADB will continue to work for the timely and up to the standard execution of this gigantic project of historic importance to the Province.
It transpired on the occasion that besides other the provincial government had already completed the construction of over 250 mini-hydel power stations while they were jointly working over the construction of such 1000 dams for the provision of cheap electricity to the people of remote and under developing areas of the province.
During the meeting, it was decided that all these over 250 completed mini-hydel power stations will be handed over to the local communities soon and physical work over the construction of more 350 is to be taken up immediately.
It was also that learnt with the construction of hydel power station at Dassu Kohistan over 75,000 jobs will be created in that far-flung area.
The CM on this occasion directed the revenue authorities of the province to complete the payment of compensation and resettlement of the affectees of Pehur High-Level Canal.
The uplift of the newly merged districts of FATA was specially discussed on this occasion and the ADB delegation assured the CM that they will fully support the provincial government in this regard.
The Chief Minister said that his government was working on a comprehensive package of development schemes, provision of basic amenities of life to the people, resource generation and good governance for the Province to which the ADB delegation assured all-out support and cooperation.
Regarding the provision of clean drinking water to the urban areas of the province, the delegation assured their support to such program for Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, and Mingora.