PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Friday approved an increase in the age of retirement for its employees from 60 years to 63 years to save Rs24 billion annually.

The decision was made during a meeting of the provincial cabinet, which Chief Minister Mahmood Khan chaired here.

Information minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai told reporters afterward that the retirement age for government employees in India`s education and health sector was 65 years, while employees in some countries retired at the age of 67 years.

He said under Article 240(b) of theConstitution, the provincial government had the power to legislate in the provincial assembly on the matter.

The minister said initially, the Civil Servant Act, 1973, had fixed the retirement age for government employees at 50, which was later enhanced to 60.

He said with life expectancy in Pakistan increasing from 55 years in 1973 to 63 years in 2018, around 5,000 employees reached the age of superannuation every year, while the rate of premature retirement was around 50/50.

The minister said the chief minister expresse d concern about the non-implementation of ban on the use of plastic bags in the province and set 15 days deadline to enforce the ban.

The cabinet also approved a compensation package for the conflict-affected residents of Mirali Bazaar in North Waziristan tribal district, where shops were pulled down during the military operationagainst terrorists.

The minister said the leave policy for project employees was also approved, who could avail15 casualleaves and 45 earned leaves annually. He added that the competent authority could grant five days casual leave to the subordinate staff.

The cabinet also sought a fresh meeting of the task force formed in response to a suo moto action of the Supreme Court on growing population in the country.

The population department presented suggestions of the required finances of around Rs3.2 billion for the implementation of the Population Action Plan with the consultation of other related departments, which was approve d by the provincial cabinet.

The cabinet accepted the request of the Peshawar High Court for the conversion of the old records since 1901 into soft files and disposing of them and similar papers.

The minister said the cabinet recommended the presentation of two resolutionsin the provincial assembly under Article 144 of the Constitution regarding the Christian Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2018, and Divorce Amendment Bill, 2018, on the request of the federal government for amending the Divorce Act, 1826, and Christian Marriage Act, 1872.

The supplementary grant of Rs510 million for the establishment of Nowshera Medical College was conditionally approved by the provincial cabinet.

The minister said the cabinet approved amendment to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Journalist Welfare Endowment Fund (Amendment) Act, 2014, to provide medical facilities among needy journalists in the province.

The cabinet also approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Civil Defence Fire Safety Order, 2019, meant to prevent damage to public life and property, while the appointment of chief executive officer to the KP Board of Investment was also approved.