LANDIKOTAL: The Chinese government has given Rs1668 million to repair 68 state-run schools damaged in militancy-related incidents in Khyber Agency, a senior administrative official said on Thursday. Political Agent Captain (R) Khalid Mehmood said that for the first time, the Chinese government was taking interest in rehabilitating the infrastructure of the state-run schools in Khyber Agency. “In the first phase of the financial assistance by Chinese Government, they will reconstruct and repair 68 government-run schools that had been destroyed by militants during the last several years in Bara,” said Khalid Mehmood. He said a total of 98 schools had been destroyed by terrorists in Bara. However, he added that they have reconstructed 16 of the schools and provided them solar systems. With the financial assistance of the Governor Special Development Programme (GSDP), he said, they had constructed six-room schools at a cost of Rs 12 million. He said that not only schools, but other installations had also been affected by terrorist activities. He said a sum of Rs 1.8 billion have been allocated in the Annual Development Programme this year for 232 different projects in Khyber Agency. He said they have started activities to set up modern schools. He said peace has been restored in most parts of the agency and now they are focusing attention on health and education sectors. The official said that work on Rural Health Centers (RHCs) in Loey Shalman and Bazaar Zakhakhel was underway and it would be completed in two years. He added that the Landi Khana water supply scheme in Landikotal was one of the mega projects, which would provide drinking water to 80 percent residents in Landikotal. He said that Rs4 million have been released to the education department to provide missing facilities in government schools. The political agent said they were in contact with the Fata Secretariat to provide teaching staff to the degree college and specialist doctors to the hospital in Landikotal. Power tunnel: The Chinese engineering team has made its utmost efforts to complete construction of 2 km lengthy power tunnel in record 4 months before specified time period, a 40.8 MW Koto Hydropower project at Lower Dir district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The present provincial government is engaged completion of its power projects within stipulated time period in order to get the country rid of power crisis and to boost the economy of provincial exchequer. In this context, a special ceremony was held at Koto hydropower project site on Thursday to mark the celebration of record construction of 2 km power tunnel in shortest time period by Chinese engineers. Secretary Energy & Power, Engr. Naeem Khan chaired the ceremony and lauded the efforts of Chinese engineers and PEDO officers to make their utmost to complete the assignment in record time period. He expressed that provincial government is going on for early completion of power projects in well planned manners. He stressed over resolving land acquisition issues at project and discuss in high level forums in order to bring out viable solution. Secretary Energy, Naeem Khan reiterated his commitment to make all efforts to complete ongoing energy projects in time in order to bring the country out of energy crisis. Meanwhile he intended to make full efforts to include energy projects in CPEC package located in KP. In addition to this, sweat cake was cut by chair with Chinese engineers in order to encourage their efforts for project work. He furthermore visited the project site and examined the work pace.