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| Zardari for inclusion of satellite imaging in Fata schemes |
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Saturday, November 21, 2009
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday directed that a provision for satellite imaging of the development projects in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) be included in PC-1 proposals in future for effective implementation and monitoring of various development projects undertaken in the tribal areas.
The president gave this direction during a presentation given to him on Fata development, undertaken through the normal Annual Development Plan (ADP), the World Bank administered Trust Fund and the USAID, at the Presidency on Friday.
He also asked for a detailed study of the command area on the state lands of dams being built in Fata for distribution among the poor women of the tribal agencies. Briefing the media about the meeting, presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the president also directed that a model development project be launched in a tribal agency on experimental basis on the Alaskan model in which the local people were also made shareholders to give them incentive to protect and promote the development projects in Fata.
The Fata additional chief secretary, during the presentation, spelling out the salient features of the ADP 2009-10, said that the ADP size had been enhanced to 11.5 billion, marking an increase of 36% over the ADP for 2008-09.
Giving the details, he informed the meeting that 90% of the allocation was meant for ongoing and 10% for the new schemes. The sectoral allocations were 31% for communications, 21% for education and 11% for health sectors, he stated.
The president said that the development strategy for Fata in the short term should be to improve both connectivity and social sector delivery.
The Country Director USAID, Robert J Wilson, while giving the presentation, stated that the US government was the biggest donor through USAID, providing over $400 million for livelihood development, and capacity building projects.
He further stated that another nearly Rs 3 billion were meant for building road projects, training and strengthening the Fata Levies. Contributions from other international donors include UK (£1 million), Japan ($6 million), Germany, Italy (Ä 7 million), ADB (Rs 3.5 billion) for rural development and poverty alleviation, IFAD (Rs1.2 billion) and UN World Food Programme ($16 million).
The meeting was further informed that other major initiatives in Fata include Dandy Dam in North Waziristan Agency (Rs490 million), Darghai Pal Dam South Waziristan Agency (Rs313 million), Bara Dam (Rs14 billion), feasibility study for use of solar energy, detailed feasibility and design of 25 dams and establishment of the Marble City in Mohmand Agency (Rs700 million).
Country director World Bank during the presentation stated that the World Bank Trust Fund for NWFP and Fata has been established with a view to complementing government’s efforts to promote delivery of basic services and support livelihoods and development of basic infrastructure and services. The scope of the Fund is limited to the NWFP, Fata and Balochistan, he informed.
The spokesperson said that the president said that military action in Fata was essential to wipe out terrorism and militancy.
The president, however, emphasised that it was not the permanent solution and said that the military action must be followed by an aggressive development programme to bring about a visible change in the socio-economic conditions of the people.
Babar said that the president urged for ensuring transparency in all development works in order to achieve the objectives of good governance and to trickle down the benefits of the development to the people. Lack of opportunities and education in Fata has led the youth to be exploited by militant groups, the president said.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
