Provincial Task Force meeting: Economic development plan for merged districts okayed

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has finalised the economic development plan to boost economic activities in the newly merged districts (NMDs).

An official handout said that under the plan, 55 schemes worth Rs16 billion would be executed in different sectors in the North Waziristan district.

It further said that 57 schemes worth Rs24 billion would be undertaken in the South Waziristan district during the next three years.

The projects on completion would promote economic activities in the districts and provide job opportunities to local people.

The provincial government has also approved a project worth Rs7.8 billion for the beautification of urban areas and bazaars in merged districts.

A master plan to provide clean drinking water to the people of these districts was also ready and it would be approved by the relevant forum next week.

A strategy is also being devised to provide job opportunities to people by utilising the mineral potential of the merged areas.

The handout said that a meeting of the Provincial Task Force for Merged Areas was held with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair.

Provincial cabinet members Taimur Salim Jhagra, Shaukat Yousafzai, Shahram Tarakai, Iqbal Wazir and Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Corps, Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, Chief Secretary Shahzar Bangash, Inspector General of Police Moazzam Jah Ansari, Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Amjad Ali Khan, administrative secretaries and other civil and military officials attended the meeting.

The forum discussed matters related to development projects, administrative measures, law and order and other various matters related to the merged districts with a special focus on North and South Waziristan districts.

Briefing the participants about the implementation status of decisions taken in the previous meeting of the forum, it was informed that in the last meeting a total of 29 public issues were identified in South Waziristan out of which 17 issues had been resolved.

About 27 public issues were identified in North Waziristan out of which 13 issues have been resolved whereas work on 14 issues was in progress.

The forum was also informed that the government offices had been established in merged districts on a makeshift basis whereas land acquisition was in progress for the construction of government offices on a permanent basis.

A project for the construction of district and tehsil complexes in the NMDs was also approved.

The forum was told that a special project had been initiated for land settlement in merged areas while the PC-I of two separate projects had been approved to promote tourism in merged areas.

The participants were informed that necessary legislation had been completed for the regularisation of 3,477 project employees of ex-Fata.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan directed the authorities to ensure the progress on all development schemes in merged districts as per stipulated timelines.

He directed the deputy commissioners to expedite the land acquisition process for the establishment of government offices in their respective districts. He directed the officials to implement government policy on posting and transfer.

The chief minister directed the provincial cabinet members to visit the NMDs on regular basis and hold consultative sessions with local people in order to know their issues.

Mahmood Khan directed the authorities to identify suitable land for the establishment of the industrial estate in North Waziristan.