May 20, 2003	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 17, 1424

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MUZAFFARABAD, May 19: A local community-based organization on Monday signed an agreement with the AJK local government and the rural development department, inaugurating the development work in their area under the World Bank-funded Community Infrastructure Services Programme (CISP).

The signing ceremony, which was held in the Nakar Fatot village, was attended by AJK minister for local government and rural development Raja Nisar Ahmed Khan, minister for food Raja Abdul Qayyum Khan, secretary of the LG&RD department Sardar Siddique Khan, and other officials.

The village, which is located some 65 kilometres south of here, falls in the constituency of the AJK food minister and was chosen for a number of uplift schemes.

President of the Nakar Fatot CBO Malick Dawood Awan and LG&RD department’s assistant director Sardar Gul Zaman signed the agreement in this regard.

The $27.8 million CISP project, to be executed by the LG&RD department during the next five years, envisages social uplift, environmental protection and community development in urban and rural areas of the AJK and its target population is around one million.

The contribution of the AJK government and the community is fixed at $4 million and $3.8 million, respectively.

Officials said that an estimated 325 rural and 50 urban sites would be taken under the project, out of which 100 rural and 10 urban areas had already been selected for the first year.

The schemes included water supply, upgradation of access roads, street pavement, footpaths, water drainage, solid waste management and street lighting.

LG&RD department’s director (works) Syed Zahir Gardezi said that Rs6.217 million would be spent in the village on the construction of a water supply scheme, 13 public latrines and upgradation of a four-kilometre-long access road.

The community would contribute Rs989,000 as its share, he added.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the AJK minister called for greater community participation, saying that the project would generate job opportunities at the local level.

Others, who spoke on the occasion, included Mr Dawood Awan, Sardar Yasin Khan, Farzana Bibi, Musarrat Kausar and Fakhra Shahzad.

Later, the minister presented a Rs100,000 cheque to Mr Awan for initiating the development work.

Villagers, who were initially required to deposit only Rs20,000, have already deposited Rs58,000 as their contribution in the CBO’s account.