Around $2.5 million has been invested by the Multi Donors Trust Fund (MDTF) to improve governance in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
Post Crisis Needs Assessment (PCNA) Implementation Support Unit (ISU) K-P’s Communication Specialist Muhammad Atif told The Express Tribune that as part of achieving objectives under the MDTF, outcomes of interventions have been released, showing the progress made in improving governance, service delivery and employment opportunities.
He said MDTF projects adopted a different approach and all initiatives are to be completed in a measured and transparent manner at every stage.
Governance
Atif said the MDTF outlay demonstrated significant progress and showed the Governance Support Project (GSP) fully supported the operationalisation of the K-P Right To Information Commission (RTI) and the Right To Services (RTS) Commission. In addition, the project also brought about improvement in the Anti-Corruption Establishment and the K-P Public Procurement Authority.
“With an amount to the tune of Rs150 million, a large-scale awareness campaign has been launched to educate the public about new laws passed by the provincial assembly such as RTI and RTS,” he said. He added reforms in governance were a top priority of the GSP and is the reason $2.5 million has been invested.
The communication specialist said the queries of around 1,035 people had been answered by public information officers. He claimed many even found employment based on these answers. There is at least one documented case of an individual who challenged an appointment based on information acquired through the RTI. Atif added around 250 public information officers were trained at the K-P Judicial Academy under the RTI law and training for the remainder was under way.
Infrastructure
Atif said at least $6.134 million in grants had been given to 882 victims of terrorism and floods in K-P.
He said the MTDF, under the Emergency Road Recovery Project, has completed the 30-kilometre Sharifabad-Kanju Road in Swat district, benefiting more than 300,000 people. The official said the road was not only important from a security stand point, but also key for locals travelling to hospitals, schools and markets.
At least 57 subprojects for irrigation, sanitation, water, bridges and schools had been completed in a short span of time. According to Atif, an $18 million K-P Southern Area Development Project has been designed on the basis of community-driven development programmes. “694 community-based organisations (CBOs) were established and 194 action plans prepared for community schemes.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2014.
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