The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government on Friday allocated some Rs 12 billion for Sports, Tourism, Youth, Culture and Archaeology Department in budget 2021-22, showing 300 % increase that the last year’s allocation of Rs 2.90 billion.
About Rs 3 billion were earmarked for the new mega project of sports development at union council level across the province, along with Rs 500 million for the merged tribal districts, following the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan to provide sports infrastructure at grassroots level.
Besides, a huge amount was allocated for the 113 ongoing projects in the province.
KP Minister for Finance Taimur Salim Jhagra, in his budget speech in the provincial assembly, said in the budget 2021-22, Rs 6.3 billion was earmarked for the Annual Development Programme for the province, with Rs 2.7 billion for Accelerated Integrated Programme for merged areas, including Rs 700 million for the sports promotion and activities.
Read more: Here is a summary of Pakistan’s budget for fiscal Year 2021-22
He said a key project was already underway to have a dedicated and separate female indoor gymnasium at all divisional headquarters, including the merged areas, to be equipped with multiple facilities in order to ensure equal playing facilities according to the decision of KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan. Its cost would exceed to Rs one billion.
He said keeping in view the tourism potential, the government had increased tourism and culture allocation grant in the budget-2021-22 from Rs 2 billion to record Rs 12 billion for the completion of the key projects, including Madaklasht Chair Lift, Pakistan’s first motor sports arena, Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium, Hayatabad Cricket Stadium and International Cricket Stadium in Kalam.
He said construction of roads in Malakand and Hazara were included in the budget, besides preserving Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor’s ancestral homes. Rs 3.8 billion of innovation fund had been set up for the youth, women and entrepreneurs, construction of jeep tracks for tourist bearing areas and establishment of small business for youth and providing of interest-free loan to the youth to set up their own businesses.
A cricket stadium in Kalam, Raise in Education and Health budget, Safari train to Torkham and Car registration tax being practically made to zero – The budget being presented by KP govt for FY 2021-2022 by far looks the most impressive as yet.
— Anas Mallick (@AnasMallick) June 18, 2021
He said the budget allocations made for the preservation for culture heritage, equipping every divisional headquarters with a separate indoor gymnasium for female players, developing of Hund Water Park over 400 kanals of land, besides establishment of Integrated Tourism Zones with the aim to explore tourism potential that the province have in the merged tribal areas.
In the merged area, he said, sports complexes would be developed at par with international standard in Bajaur and southern district of Kohat. The work on a state-of-the-art sports complex in Kohat was already in progress.
The minister said that sports complexes would be constructed at District Chitral at the cost of Rs. 100,000 million, besides development of Swat, Chitral, Mardan, Hund, Dir and Buner museums for Rs 58.470 million, up-gradation of Archaeological Complex at Gor Gathri, Artisan Village and Conservation of Wall City to be carried out at the cost Rs 677.328 million, repair and rehabilitation of Mahabat Khan Mosque Peshawar for Rs 18.567 million, construction of Hazara Museum at Abbottabad for Rs. 52.000 million, promotion, preservation and development of Kalash Culture for Rs 68.312 million, establishment of ATC Branch in the Directorate of Archaeology for Rs 8 million, and land acquisition of Rs 23.674 million for development of national heritage sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
KP Govt to construct, rehabilitate 2100 schools during FY 2021-22
The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will construct, rehabilitate and upgrade over 2100 schools to increase enrollment capacity in public sector schools by 1,20000.
According to budget documents of upcoming financial year 2021-22 presented here in the provincial assembly on Friday, the provincial government will recruit 20,000 teachers and 3000 school leaders for Elementary and Secondary Education.
Read more: Everyone will be happy after budget: PM Imran Khan tells journalist
In the newly merged districts, the government will provide equipment to 97 IT labs, construct 276 Science Laboratories and recruit 4300 teachers. A fund of Rs.4.5 billion has also been allocated for provision of furniture to schools in the province.
For Higher Education, an administrative budget of Rs.1 billion has been allocated for provision of furniture and petty repair works in colleges. The construction of 40 new colleges will be completed and 30 existing colleges will be granted the status of Premier College wherein all facilities of the modern era will be provided to the students.
The students of the newly merged districts will be provided educational scholarships to the tone of Rs.230 million while a Skill Development Fund will also set up for the promotion of technical and vocational education in the province.
Read more: Budget 2021 and the whines of fading hopes
In Special Education sector, the government will establish a Centre of Excellence for Special Children with Autism, district Rehmat ul lil Alameen stipends in physically challenged students, will establish model institutes for street children at D.I. Khan, Abbottabad, Swat & Peshawar and a school of deaf & dumb children in Mardan.
Courtesy: APP