Peshawar   -   A delegation of Asian Development Bank (ADB) met with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur at CM Secretariat on Saturday. Apart from Additional Chief Secretary Planning, Administrative Secretaries of concerned departments and other officials were also present in the meeting.

Both discussed in detail issues related to the ongoing important development projects in various sectors in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank in the province. The ADB is supporting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in different sectors including road infrastructure, water, agriculture, energy, urban development, and health.

A detailed discussion was also held on the progress of these development projects as per the timelines and the matters related to their timely completion. Development projects to be started with the support of the Asian Development Bank during the next three years were also discussed in the meeting.

They agreed to start implementation of these projects early if prerequisites are completed soon. The delegation expressed their willingness to release funds ahead of the timelines for the implementation of various projects under KP Sustainable Urban Mobility, KP Rural Roads Development, KP Cities Improvement Project, KP Food Security and Livestock Management Program.

The chief minister instructed the concerned authorities to complete the required work as soon as possible in this regard. The meeting also reviewed the proposed projects for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the five-year Country Partnership Strategy 2026-30. The two sides also agreed to expand cooperation in social sectors.

The provincial government values the cooperation and collaboration of the ADB for the development of social sectors, Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur said, and added that the provincial government was investing heavily in potential sectors to increase its revenue.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has enormous investment opportunities in the fields of agriculture, livestock, tourism, minerals, hydropower, and housing, Ali Amin Gandapur said. Providing self-employment opportunities to people by developing these sectors is an important part of the provincial government’s vision, the chief minister informed the delegation.

“Our goal is to put people on their feet,” Ali Amin Gandapur said, adding that the development of infrastructure in the merged districts and providing employment opportunities to the people is the main priority of the provincial government.

To solve the problem of food security of the province on a permanent basis, projects of small dams including CRBC are the priority of the provincial government, Ali Amin Gandapur informed the delegation. The provincial government is investing to implement these projects. In this regard, the cooperation of partner institutions is also needed, the chief minister said.

He said that the present provincial government was introducing fundamental reforms in its development program. “We have reduced the throw-forward of development projects from 13 years to 6 years,” Chief Minister Ali Amin said.

The provincial government is working on providing its electricity at cheaper rates to local industries. In this regard, the provincial government needs its own transmission line, Chief Minister said. “The provincial government will welcome private investment in this sector,” Ali Amin said. “We will provide all kinds of facilities to the investors under the Ease of Doing Business Policy,” he expressed.