A parliamentary panel was informed on Thursday that Rs 87 million have been earmarked for mainstreaming the seminaries and its employees in erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) of which Rs 67 million have been released.

The Senate standing committee on Safron which met here with Senator Taj Muhammad Afridi was briefed by Additional Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa about seminary reforms and provision of gas in the formerly tribal areas.

He also briefed the panel about the release of funds for health, education, illegal recruitment, increase of seats in medical colleges and development of other infrastructure in the area.

About gas supply in the area, he said that Cabinet committee had given approval, but both Sui Gas and the concerned ministry have not yet informed the province about it.

The members of the committee raised objections over new induction without placing any advertisements in the newspaper, saying the mafia has once again seen quite active to deprive genuine people from government jobs.

The committee also stressed for doubling of seats in National College of Arts for students belonging erstwhile Fata, but the authorities said that due to meager resources with the institution, it is not possible to increase the seats.

The committee directed the NCA officials and chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) to brief the committee about increasing the seats in the next meeting.