The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has refused to provide an additional PKR 1.21 billion for the Institute of Petroleum Technology Karak, citing severe financial difficulties.
The provincial authorities have instructed the Department of Energy and Power to seek these funds from the federal government.Initially approved with a budget of PKR 2.05 billion, the Institute of Petroleum Technology Karak’s costs have surged to PKR 3.27 billion, according to documents from the Department of Energy and Power.
While the federal government provided the original funding, the KP government contributed PKR 89 million towards land acquisition and the institute’s establishment. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority is managing the project.
A request for the revised cost estimate was submitted to the federal government 15 months ago, but no progress has been made. When approached, the provincial government’s Department of Planning and Development rejected the request for additional funding, directing that the extra PKR 1.21 billion be secured from the federal government.If the federal government does not provide the necessary funds, the scope of Institute of Petroleum Technology Karak project will be scaled down to fit the available budget.
The provincial government has also ordered the appointment of a permanent project director and instructed the Directorate of Monitoring and Evaluation to visit the project site and submit a report.The institute currently offers three-year diplomas in drilling, petroleum technology, electrical instrumentation, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, and petrochemical technology.
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