Economic uplift plan tailored for NMDs

To ensure the timely completion and high-quality delivery of development projects in the newly merged tribal districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, a robust monitoring system is set to be initiated. This decision was reached during a high-level meeting of the special steering committee established for the newly merged districts.

The meeting, held at the Civil Secretariat in Peshawar, was chaired by Dr. Aamer Abdullah, the Caretaker Minister for Newly Merged Districts affairs, Industries, Commerce, and Technical Education, and took place on Tuesday.

The meeting revolved around discussions on a proposed economic development plan tailored specifically for the merged districts, as well as the allocation of funds for ongoing development projects.
The committee was composed of key figures, including the Additional Chief Secretary for Planning and Development, Syed Imtiaz Hussain Shah, as well as officials from the 11 Corps, representatives of other relevant agencies, and provincial department officers.

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During the meeting, the Additional Chief Secretary for Planning and Development presented the proposed economic development plan for the merged districts, emphasizing its significance and objectives in ensuring sustainable development for these regions.

Additionally, the forum delved into the financial status and allocation of funds for various Annual Development Program (ADP) schemes and projects under the special development package, the Accelerated Implementation Program (AIP), implemented by the government for the merged
districts. The prioritization of funds release for these projects was a central point of discussion.

In this context, the minister directed that projects due for completion and those aligning with the objectives of the proposed plan should receive priority in the disbursement of funds. He urged the line departments to provide comprehensive reports on the physical progress of their development projects and their financial status, extending the requirement to include details of subsequent project phases beyond PC1, all to be updated within the Planning and Development system.

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To further underscore the commitment to transparency and accountability, the minister called for the implementation of proper monitoring procedures for these development projects, urging departments
to conduct on-site visits and submit comprehensive evaluation reports.

The minister set an ambitious timeline, instructing all departments to complete progress reports on their critical projects within a week’s time. Furthermore, he emphasized the inclusion of new and viable projects alongside approved and ongoing ones