260 get financial assistance provided by Italy in Dir

DIR: About 260 people belonging to Chukyatan and Bibyawar union councils were given financial assistance on Saturday under an Italian-funded project aimed at reducing poverty.

The packages were distributed at a ceremony organised in Chukyatan. District Nazim of Upper Dir Sahibzada Fasihullah was the chief guest at the event. Funded by the Italian government-Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), the project is being implemented by the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP).

An official said under the project, unemployed people were extended assistance worth Rs50,000 to establish their own businesses.SRSP Regional Programme Manager Noor Ajab Khan, Chukyatan enterprises organisation president Khan Badshah and its general secretary Muhammad Irfan and local elders attended the ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Sahibzada Fasihullah said the district government was doing efforts to develop Upper Dir. He said the district government would support those non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that were working for the welfare of the people in Upper Dir.

Sahibzada Fasihullah said that NGOs were making efforts to bring the underdeveloped areas and serve the needy people. He said that SRSP was also providing opportunities to the poor people in the district to establish their businesses.

“The SRSP is helping the local people to become financially stable and contribute to the progress and prosperity of the country,” he added.  Noor Ajab Khan said the SRSP was running the micro-business programme with the financial assistance of the government of Italy to help the people to start up their own businesses. He said that the SRSP was also spending Rs6.8 million on two schools in two union councils in the district by constructing additional rooms and installing solar panels.