PESHAWAR: FATA Development Authority (FDA) has spent Rs. 873.800 million on 37 development schemes.
The
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Barrister Masood Kausar revealed this here
at Governor’s House on Friday to review the performance of FDA during
the year 2010-11, says a press release.
As per details, 9
development schemes have been completed including Dandy Small dam in
North Waziristan Agency and 60 kms shingle roads in mineral bearing
areas of northern and southern FATA.
Under FATA Youth Skill
Development Program 2384 FATA Youth were trained besides training 7775
women in embroidery, knitting and tailoring.
The meeting further
told that utilization of funds against total allocations was 62.84% and
that against total releases was 99.9 %. Rs. 356.193 million have been
incurred on construction of small dams whereas Rs. 355.686 million spent
on mineral sector development.
General Manager Finance FDA
while giving presentation on the achievements of FDA said that 11 new
schemes were approved during the period including 4 schemes of small
dams and two each in Mineral, Industry and Physical Planning and Housing
sectors.
He added that 25 potential sites of small dams had
been identified out of which feasibility of 21 initiated, of 5 completed
and PC1s of 3 dams approved.
The Authority has also been
working on a project of electrifying far flung located villages in FATA
through solar energy and so far 8 villages; 5 in Bajaur and 3 in Khyber
Agency have been electrified. The project, being carried out in two
phases would cost Rs. 367.080 million and would electrify 44 villages in
FATA.
The meeting was also updated on a number of mineral
sector projects including coal in Sherani area, Copper in North
Waziristan, precious stones and oil and gas potential in different parts
of FATA.
The Governor Masood Kausar while talking on different
points said that government was focusing its attention on FATA because
of its backwardness and with the aim to improve the socio-economic
condition of the people of the areas.
“FATA needs to be focused
in development as it is not an ordinary area”, the Governor remarked
while discussing the issue of release of funds for FATA Annual
Development Program.
He stressed that the issue must be
vigorously pursued and those areas should be identified where fund
utilization had remained 100 %.
While reviewing progress on
small dam projects, the Governor directed that quality of construction
must be taken care of and asked the concerned officials to regularly
monitor the construction work on the spot.
The Governor
described the Skill and Vocational Training programs for youth and women
as of more significance, saying that it was highly important because 60
% of the population was comprised of youth and we must make them self
sufficient by equipping them with technical skill and know-how.
He
said that vocational training for women might be made part of education
in female educational institutions as extracurricular activity. Online
