January 23, 2002	Wednesday	Ziqa'ad 8, 1422

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BAJAUR, Jan 22: Work on different development schemes costing Rs 226.3 million is in progress in different parts of Bajaur tribal agency.

The political agent of Bajaur, Mohammad Salim Khan told Dawn on Tuesday that the projects would be completed during the current financial year, hoping it would improve standard of life of more than 700,000 tribesmen living in the far-flung areas of the agency.

He said 37 schemes, including two main projects, worth Rs 67.712 million had been launched under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme. These schemes include construction and metalling of 3km Inayat Kallay-Bhai Cheena Road, which would cost Rs 4.5 million.

He said Hilal Khel-Chaharmang Road, which is three kilometres long, would cost Rs 3.3 million, adding that 15,000 people of the area would benefit from the project.

He added a sanitation scheme at Khaar would be completed at a cost of Rs 2.4 million, and another Rs two million would be spent on the construction and brick-lining of streets at Khaar and Siddiqabad. He said a modern slaughter house would also be constructed at a cost of Rs one million at the agency headquarters.

An amount of Rs 14.70 million is being spent on setting up of a computer centre at the Bajaur Public School, Khaar, which would benefit some 1,000 students, he said.

Some 15 schemes, including three road projects, were being executed in the agency under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) at a cost of Rs 108.282 million, he added.

The upgradation of four schools from primary level to middle level would cost Rs 7.5 million, while installation of eight tube- wells of the public health engineering department would be completed at a cost of Rs 16 million.

The political agent said electrification of 20 villages would be carried out at a cost of Rs 40 million, while seven schemes of agriculture, livestock, forest and  rural development would cost Rs 25 million.

The government is spending Rs 35 million on different schemes including the anti-narcotics programme in the Arang Barang, Ghar Shamozai, Targhao, Utmankhel and other areas of the agency.

The political agent observed that the execution of development projects in the far-flung poppy-cultivating areas would eradicate the curse of narcotics from the society.

He said the tribesmen were facing an acute shortage of drinking and irrigation water due to the prolonged dry spell in the agency, adding that water reservoirs would be constructed to overcome the problem.

He said Tali Salarzai dam would cost Rs 14.5 million, while the Kharki Mamond Dam would be completed at a cost of Rs 7.3 million. He said the two dams would be completed in five months.

Keeping in view the difficulties of the tribal students, the political agent said a degree college for boys would be constructed at Nawagai at a cost of Rs 30 million, and another degree college for girls costing Rs 35 million would be constructed at Khaar. Both of the colleges would be completed under the Annual Development Programme, he added.

Mohammad Salim Khan said a bus terminal would also be constructed to provide better facilities to passengers at the Agency headquarters. This bus terminal would be equipped with all the modern facilities and it would cost Rs 25 million, he said, adding that a 52-kanal land had also been acquired for the purpose.