World Bank Vice President for South Asian Region, Raphil Tapil in a meeting with the NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has assured to release funds for Structural Adjustment Credit (SAC-II) to NWFP soon.
The World Bank team called on Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani here at the Chief Minister's Secretariat, Peshawar on Tuesday.
Provincial Ministers, Chief Secretary Ijaz Qureshi and Secretaries of Education, Health, Industries, Agriculture, Local government departments were also present on the occasion.
The Chief Minister on the occasion directed the Chief Secretary to convene a meeting of secretaries of concerned departments to give final touches to the progress at various directions made by the provincial government on the Chief Minister's directives so that the final report could be submitted in the World Bank Board's meeting.
The Chief Minister informed the delegation about the MMA's government steps for maintaining strict financial discipline, ensuring good governance, cutting down non-developmental expenditures, more allocation to social sectors and involvement of people in decision making process.
He said that we have worked out a strategy for development in consultation with elected representatives and postings, transfers and recruitments of various tiers or need driven and merit oriented.
He further said that our policies had been appreciated by the federal government and for improvement in health and education sectors, the World Bank conditionalities fulfilled. These conditionalities were logical and in the benefit of the province, he added. Since the World Bank has fully appreciated the reforms agenda of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) government, therefore, any advice that could be pro-people and in the interest of the province would be properly looked into.
He said that the Frontier government has provided peaceful atmosphere for business activities adding that the law and order situation is better than other provinces because we perceive exemplary law and order situation as the pre-requisites for the boost of economic and trade activities and ultimately they provides a base for over all development of the province.
Referring to the achievements in the education sector, the Chief Minister said that up to Matric education has been declared free, up to Middle compulsory while books and uniforms are supplied free of costs to poor students. To provide opportunities to the female to enhance their skills; Women University, women medical college and a separate woman sports directorate have been approved, he added.
The Chief Minister said that laws are being made to prohibit honour killings, Swara and child labour.
Durrani said that the presence of more than three million afghan refugees have badly affected economy of the Frontier Province. He expressed the hope that the international community will take practical steps for the rehabilitation of Frontier Province besides reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Recounting performance of the MMA government in the NWFP, the Chief Minister said that health, education and social sectors would continue to be the priority areas of the government. To increase trade activities in the area, besides Torkham - Jalalabad road, construction of Ghulam Khan - Gardez road has been approved.
These roads, he added, will provide access to Central Asian States and Frontier will become international market.
Leader of the World Bank Mission Raphil Tapil appreciated the financial reforms of the frontier government and hoped that the second part of SAC-II would take off soon.
He also assured that the World Bank will continue support in future too.
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