August 10, 2003	Sunday	Jumadi-us-Sani 11, 1424

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PESHAWAR, Aug 9: NWFP Governor Iftikhar Hussain Shah has said that millions of rupees are being spent for the socio-economic uplift of tribal units.

Presiding over a high level meeting at Fata secretariat here on Thursday, which was attended by the chief secretary, the home secretary, secretary (security) Fata and the additional secretary planning and development department, Fata, the governor said that work on the ongoing projects must be expedited.

The meeting also expressed satisfaction over the law and order situation in the Mohmand Agency.

The governor said that an amount of Rs75 million was being spent on roads construction, provision of potable water and improvement in power supply facilities in the Khawaizai, Bhai Qila, Bheer Manay and Hatah areas of the agency.

In the communication sector, it was told, 15km long Bheerbeay to Bhai Qilla and 10km long Hattah to Bhai Qilla roads were being blacktopped at a cost of Rs32 million and Rs20 million respectively. On completion, the roads would provide an effective communication network to facilitate the tribesmen to have  easy access to modern facilities.

The meeting was also informed that establishment of 55 community schools was in progress in the agency and the process was expected to be completed on time.

It was said in the meeting that the existin grid station at Ghallanai was being upgraded which on completion would not only improve the existing electricity supply situation in the area but would also meet the additional requirements of the region.

The project was expected to cost Rs40 million.

Mr Shah stressed the need to expedite the pace of work on all the projects and said that people must feel a pleasant change in their daily life routine. This, he added, was only possible if the projects launched for their socio-economic well being were completed as soon as possible.

The availability of funds, he said, had been ensured well in time and now it was up to the executing agencies to complete the tasks entrusted to them well before time.

The people of far flung and remote tribal areas which, he said, had remained inaccessible till the recent past deserved special attention and the early completion of the ongoing development projects was the only answer to their requirements.