NWFP launches Rs 1.9 billion urban uplift project

The NWFP government has started implementation of the NWFP Urban Development Project (NUDP) with a cost of Rs 1.9 billion. Asian Development Bank is financing the project.
Under its first phase, 48 schemes of water supply, sewerage, establishment of lari addas, fruits and vegetable markets, slaughterhouses and internal roads have been launched in 24 small cities of the province.
It was stated in a meeting, held with NWFP Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Sardar Muhammad Idrees in the chair at his office on Monday. The meeting reviewed ongoing and new developmental schemes, especially relating to water supply and sanitation in various cities of Kohat district, and took necessary decisions.
Syed Qalb-e-Hasan MPA, Hazrat Masood Mian, NUDP Project Director, Muhammad Shahid Khattak, TMO Kohat and Qutab Mehsood, NUDP Deputy Director Hangu Region attended the meeting. The minister said its completion would improve the living standard of the people and environmental conditions of the areas.
The meeting was informed that developmental schemes under the project could be started in only those small cities having 20,000 population and those were other than the provincial or divisional headquarters as developmental process was already going on with huge funds in the mega cities.
The minister directed for inclusion of Kohat small cities; Shakardara, Lachi, Kambat and towns situated on Hangu road as he said the concerned MPAs and district, tehsil nazims were continuously contacting him for this purpose and demanding for expediting the pace of development in their respective areas.
The authorities assured that all the remaining small cities of upto 20,000 population would be included in the second phase of NUDP. While those towns and villages having less population would be developed under the Community Infrastructure Project (CIP) and Rural Water and Sanitation Programme (RWSS). The schemes of water supply, sanitation, construction of fruits and vegetable markets and bus stands would be launched.
It was further assured that Shakardara and Lachi would be included in the NUDP much earlier in case of funds availability and prior approval of the ADB. Sardar Idrees assured that the MMA government would continue the mission of uniform development in urban and rural areas of the province so that the sense of deprivation of the people there could be removed for good.
He said the provincial government was facing problems of resource constraints, but he expressed the confidence that all financial problems, including the hydle net profit issue would be resolved permanently owing to our consistent realistic approach and contacts with center.