PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Thursday deferred decision on a proposal to ban construction on the agriculture department`s property in the province.

Briefing reporters following the meeting of the provincial cabinet, adviser to the chief minister for higher education Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani said the agriculture department had noated the proposalseeking ban on the use of its holdings for construction purposes.

He said the cabinet after deliberations deferred the matter and instead formed a committee headed by the additional chief secretary of the planning and development department to look into the issue and present a detailed report about it.

Mr Ghani said the committee would get input f rom all relevant departments and organisations, which sought the acquisition of agriculture land for the establishment of facilities for themselves and would make recommendations about them af ter examining the available land of the department.

He said the committee would also recommend the development of planned townships in all districts and the creation of health, educa-tion and other social services there.

The CM`s adviser said the cabinet called for similar arrangements by private housing schemes, too.

He said the cabinet issued directions to the relevant quarters to bring recommendations in that respect to its next meeting for approval.

Mr Ghani quoted the chief minister as telling the meeting that the province needed to focus on the development of its agriculture sector.

The CM said the province needed to evaluate the steps it needed to take to meet the needs of its agricultural sector.

He told the cabinet that the Chashma Right Bank Canal scheme would play a key role for making hundreds of thousands of barren land cultivable.

Mr Khattak directed all relevant departments to sketch out a complete design for their short-term, mid-term and long-term needs to help the government take care of them.

Regarding the establishment of the rest places in Galiyat area, the CM asked the quarters concerned to make a comprehensive plan for the establishment of rest places throughout the province, including Nathiagali.

He also directed the law department to look into the legal side of the rest places on need basis.

Mr Ghani also said the cabinet approved the KP Rural Area Drinking Water Supply Amendment Bill, 2017, under which causing damage to the drinking water supply schemewill be a punishable offence carrying up to three months imprisonment and fine from Rs5,000 to Rs50,000.

He said the cabinet approved the establishment of three new public sector universities in the province, including University of Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan Agricultural University, and University of Engineering and Technology, Mardan.

The CM`s adviser said the PTI government had set up nine universities across KP during its tenure in office and thus, increasing the number of public sector varsities in the province to 28.

Regarding the proposals floated for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Buildings Management Act, 2017, the cabinet decided the merit-based transparent allotment of residential accommodation to the entitled government employees.

It agreed with minor changes to the overall plan for the allotment of residential accommodation, renting out of the government buildings, and the action if damages caused to them.

The cabinet also approved the proposed amendment to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sugarcane and Sugar Beet Development Cess Rules, 2015, making the DDAC chairmen of the respective districts members of the committee on the cess.

It approved the proposed changes to the KP Medical Teaching Institutions Act, 2015, for the appointment of woman dean to the Khyber Girls Medical College, Peshawar.