Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, Engr. Iqbal Zafar Jhagra Wednesday has approved various development schemes of over Rs 2243.980 million for the uplift and prosperity of Federal Administered Tribal Areas. He said all out efforts were being made to address the difficulties and problems getting in the way of smooth development of the tribal region adding that all possible resources are being utilised to ensure the expeditious completion of uplift projects in FATA.
These projects will pave the way for a new era of economic and social prosperity for tribesmen as developed FATA was the guarantee of lasting peace in the entire region, he added. He was chairing the 3rd meeting of FATA Development Council (FDC) at Governor House, Peshawar which was attended by Joint Secretary SAFRON, Tariq Hayat, Additional Chief Secretary FATA, Muhammad Aslam Kamboh, Principal secretary to Governor, Sikandar qayum, Secretary Law and Order and P&D FATA, Shakil Qadir, Secretary SS&D FATA, Waqar ul Hasan, Additional Secretary Development FATA, and Chief Economist and other relevant officials of FATA Secretariat. Secretary P&D FATA also briefed the Council about the rehabilitation and development schemes in tribal areas.
FATA Development Council, on the occasion, under the chairmanship of the Governor has given approval of the total development outlay of Rs 2443.980 million for the 07 development schemes in FATA. Of the approved amount, Rs 1109.691 million has been set aside for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads in Khyber Agency including construction of 21 KM long road from Sandana to Mastak at Tehsil Jamrud, construction of 20 km road from Dawa Toi to Sandana Shin Qamar which will benefit 0.3 million people of the area and construction of 17 km road from Jamrud to Chappare via Gudar in Khyber agency.
The Governor also approved Rs 148.863 for the construction of Black Top road from Waly Ghaiba to karham in FR DI Khan. The amount of worth Rs 300 million was also approved for Integrated Area development Program in Khyber Agency including communication schemes, agriculture cum forestry, livestock, and Public Health Engineering and irrigation projects.
These projects will accelerate the economic growth in depressed areas of the Agency and will increase the local anticipation and distribute the resources equitably to promote the sustainability. The Governor has also given approval of Rs 364.083 million for the construction of Female Section in AHQ B-category Hospital at Tehsil Miranshah under the rehabilitation and reconstruction Program for the temporarily dislocated persons in FATA. To reduce burden on the poor students and to increase literacy rate in FATA, the Governor has also approved of Rs 321.343 million for the provision of better education facilities to the tribal students.
Addressing the meeting, the governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra has said comprehensive steps have been taken to ensure the successful return of TDPs and their rehabilitation. He said peace has been restored in the tribal region and now we are heading towards the phase of peace and development.
He directed the officers concerned that transparency should be ensured in development schemes in FATA so that tribesmen could get maximum benefit of the development projects. He said ongoing projects should be completed within stipulated time and no laxity would be tolerated in this regard. He said that socio-economic uplift and the development of Federally Administered Tribal Area was the foremost priority of the incumbent government not only to address the grievances of tribesmen but also to ensure a better future of tribal people.