PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved the Climate Action Board (Amendment) Bill 2026, under which a dedicated fund will be established to address emergencies, rehabilitation, and climate change-related challenges in the province.
The decision was taken during the 52nd meeting of the provincial cabinet held with Chief Minister Sohail Afridi in the chair. The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Chief Secretary, Inspector General of Police, and administrative secretaries of various departments.
According to Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Shafi Jan, the amendment aims to ensure effective oversight and guidance of the Climate Action Board through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Climate Council.
He said the proposed fund would enable timely response, rehabilitation, and reconstruction in areas affected by natural disasters and emergencies.
The cabinet also approved a Rs1.125 billion grant for the Chief Minister’s Digital Inclusion Programme for minority students, while increasing the Endowment Fund for terrorism-affected minorities from Rs2 billion to Rs3 billion.
In addition, relief packages were approved for victims of incidents in Mardan, Nowshera, and Haripur, under which families of the deceased will receive Rs2.5 million each, while injured individuals will be given Rs1 million each.
The cabinet further approved a Rs1.681 billion grant-in-aid for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Foundation, along with the appointment of two marriage registrars for the Bahai community.
Other approvals included six new posts for the Land Use and Building Control Authority, amendments to the Housing Foundation financial rules 2026, and revisions to the Textbook Board service regulations.
The meeting also approved declaring the Institute of Mental Health Sciences (Fountain House) Peshawar as a subsidiary of MTI Hayatabad Medical Complex, and the appointment of a Director General for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority.
Furthermore, land transfer for the establishment of a Temperate Rice Research Station in Malakand Division and Rs1.8 billion additional funding for upgrading Mian Gul Abdul Haq Jahan Zeb Kidney Hospital Swat into a modern kidney transplant centre were also approved.
The cabinet endorsed digital reforms for online registration and certification of births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and other civil records.
On food security, the cabinet approved procurement of 225,000 metric tons of wheat from the public sector at Rs3,500 per 40 kg, with an estimated cost of Rs19.68 billion.
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