By NNN-APP,
Peshawar : The NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani has said that socio-economic uplift of FATA is the most important aspect of the government’s strategies not only to resolve the FATA related issues and problems but also to ensure a prosperous future for the tribesmen on long term basis. Talking during the final review meeting of the FATA Annual Development Program 2007-08, held here at Governor’s House on Saturday.
The Governor said, “There is now better understanding at every level amongst the government functionaries and realization amongst the people of the area towards the ground realities as far as FATA is concerned”.
This, he remarked, is the sufficient source of support to go ahead with pro-active development activities in every discipline of social sector development process. Moreover, he added, it also reflects a positive change in the development approach and itself is a great achievement on the part of all concerned in wake of the situation prevailed especially in FATA for quite some time.
Additional Chief Secretary, FATA Habibullah Khan and Secretary to Governor, Arbab Muhammad Arif, all the administrative secretaries of FATA Secretariat, Regional Coordination Officers of Peshawar, Kohat and Bannu, Political Agents of tribal Agencies and District Coordination Officers responsible to govern the Frontier Regions as well as newly appointed Additional Political Agents and Assistant political Agents of Frontier Regions were present in the meeting.
Appreciating the performance of the line departments over the year with special reference to the ratio of utilization of released allocations against projects, the Governor also referred to the newly created offices of Additional Political Agents in each tribal Agency and said that they should not only efficiently and regularly monitor the pace of work on the ongoing development projects but also submit monthly progress reports to the quarters concerned.
He said that the facilities that were aimed at the capacity building of the respective departments should also have to be further upgraded and improved in order to ensure efficient utilization of available resources. In this connection, he also desired that special training workshops should be arranged at the Agency level for the respective officials, besides the routine programs.
While referring to the working of TESCO, the Governor desired to have a detailed briefing on its activities in FATA shortly. “We have to look into the affairs of this organization of vital importance with some more details not only to ensure proper implementation on development projects but also to make its working result oriented”, he added.
He also desired to have a project-wise review of the electrification development plans in FATA shortly.
Meanwhile, the meeting was informed that out of the total amount of Rs.6122 millions, released under the annual development programme for the year 2007-8, meant for FATA, Rs.6107 millions were utilized against 1076 schemes, including 218 new ones over the period which reflects a utilization ratio of 97 percent and a great achievement on the part of executing line departments.
Out of the total amount, it was further said, Rs.700 millions was allocated for the projects, suggested by FATA Development Authority. The Governor was further informed that the development plans in FATA, carry, huge through forward liability in the shape of quite a good number of ongoing development schemes which require almost Rs.28 billion and special efforts would be required to arrange a big chunk of resources to complete them.