MUZAFFARABAD, Nov 29: AJK Local Government Coordination Council here on Thursday approved Rs277.9 million annual development programme for the ongoing year. The amount also includes Rs17.92 million loan from the International Development Agency (IDA).

The plan was okayed in a meeting which was presided over by Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, chairman of the council.

The council allocated Rs15 million for the water supply schemes, Rs50 million for roads and communication, Rs3.8 million for education, Rs56 million for social action programme, Rs25 million for special directive projects, Rs10 million for grant to municipal and town committees, Rs10 million for construction of buildings, Rs30 million for solid waste management and Rs78 million for rural water supply schemes, hygiene education, and health and sanitation.

A handout claimed that previously the development funds were used for payment of salaries and perks to government employees, but this time the government had tried to ensure that those should be spent on uplift schemes.

The council decided that Rs56 million for the social action plan would be equally distributed in 28 constituencies of the legislative assembly and would be spent under three heads— rural water supply scheme, primary education, and health and sanitation.

Fund allocated for the special directive programme would also be spent on development schemes with the approval of the prime minister.

The meeting also reviewed the coordination council’s previous development programme.

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister said the local government and rural development department was doing well and it was also recognised by the World Bank (WB).

He said the WB had agreed in principle to provide around $35 million for rural and urban development in Azad Kashmir, and an agreement for the grant would be signed by March 2002.

The Prime Minister Sikandar Hayat Khan directed the department to keep in view the public welfare and prepare feasible schemes.