The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, Engineer Shaukatullah has given go ahead to the respective authorities to work in emergency like situation for materialization of demand oriented projects for development of education system in FATA; fully augment the existing educational institutions and encourage children especially girls to join schools.
“Each new girl, joining primary schools in FATA will get monthly scholarship to the tune of Rs.200 on proving her 20 daily attendants record for each month in the selected areas and I have just approved this scheme”, he said.
Presiding over a briefing on pace of progress on the current Annual Development Programme at Khar; the Agency Headquarter of Bajaur Agency on Friday, the Governor further observed that this is a gigantic task, as far as FATA is concerned and we all have to work in an emergency like situation”, he said. All the 34 ongoing projects taken from the last year have been fully completed while 50 to 60% targets in respect of the 39 new projects launched during the current financial year have already been achieved and will be fully completed by the end of the next financial year, the Governor was told. A total of Rs.1482 millions were allocated for the Financial Year ending by the end of this month and hundred percent utilization of developmental funds have been achieved as against the entire releases made uptil now. Completion of any visible project in a two years time indicates good planning which also is a positive trend, he conceded to a point.
Senator Hidayatullah, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Muhammad Abid Majeed who also looks after the education sector in FATA, and the Commissioner, Malakand Division, Mr. Fakhar e Alam Khan were also present on this occasion while the Political Agent, Bajaur Agency, Syed Abdul Jabbar Shah accompanied by the agency level heads of the nation building departments briefed the Governor about the salient features of the achievements.
Demand and merit based development projects have to be launched and both the respective authorities and the departments have to prove their worth to make this possible, the Governor said. Noting with appreciation that enrolment in primary schools situated one each at villages Anayat Kili and Loe Kharkai of Bajaur Agency have already crossed 1100 at each, the Governor approved establishment of one new primary school each at both the villages and said that this should be taken as policy guideline for launching of new schools in entire FATA, besides fully adhering to the given criteria for implementing merit based new projects. Similar should be the case for provision of furniture and other facilities to the primary level educational institutions, he said.
Talking on a point that a total of 55 kilometers long existing roads have been rehabilitated besides launching new projects with almost equal length in Bajaur Agency during the year, the Governor desired to ensure quality of work and material in all respects and further pointed out that he would also personally inspect as a token to re-check the standards in this respect. While reviewing pace of progress on other socio-economic oriented development projects in Bajaur Agency, the Governor took highly keen interest in irrigational, agricultural, live stock and dairy development related schemes and desired that funds utilization coupled with quality of work indeed require dedicated efforts and it is hoped that the desired standards will be maintained in all respect. “Promotion of forests and orchards; bee and poultry farming; growing off season vegetables and fruits are also the best options to fully apply the indigenous potentials in this connection and there is a need that no effort should be spared to make the maximum populace of the area fully benefited”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Governor also met the local elders and youth hailing from different parts of the agency and while listenting to their point of views with regard to resolution of the problems which the people of the respective areas have been facing, the Governor also listened to the point of views of the respective heads of various nation building departments and issued necessary instructions in this respect.
Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, Engineer Shaukatullah formally performed earth breaking ceremony for construction of a bridge at Bandagai in Tehsil Utmankhel of Bajaur Agency on Friday. The project is expected to cost almost Rs.90 millions and on completion in 18 months time, will provide better and easy traveling access to the population of the entire Tehsil. On arrival at the site the Governor was warmly welcomed by the elders of Utmankhel Tribe who profusely garlanded him and presented sheeps as a token of traditional gifts to him.
Senator Hidayatullah, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Muhammad Abid Majeed, Commissioner, Malakand Division, Mr. Fakhar e Alam Khan and the Political Agent of Bajaur Syed Abdul Jabbar Shah were also present on this occasion.
