PESHAWAR, Oct 28: The NWFP Senior Minister Sirajul Haq has emphasized the need for solving problems of the rural people, especially joblessness, through joint ventures like Barani Area Development Project (BADP).

He was presiding over a meeting about implementation of the BADP at the Civil Secretariat, here on Tuesday.

He asked for speedy completion of development projects with active consultations of the MPAs concerned.

He also made it clear that the MMA government under its reward and punishment policy would encourage projects and officials proving their worth through excellent performance while those showing inefficiency would be dealt with severely.

Provincial Minister for Industries, Trade and Commerce Malik Zafar Azam advocate and some MPAs also attended the meeting.

Additional Chief Secretary Mir Laiq Shah, Secretary of Planning and Development Manzoor Hussain Bacha, Project Director Masood Bangash and other authorities concerned were also present on the occasion.

Mr Haq said that dreams of progress and prosperity could not be realized overnight but 24 hours’ individual and collective toil was required to achieve the goal of national prosperity.

BADP Project Director Masood Bangash and HRD Provincial Coordinator Muhammad Fahim said that this seven-year-long project was launched previous year. Work on it was being accelerated following directives of the chief minister and senior minister, he added.

They said that over Rs6 billion had been allocated by the world donor agencies and the NWFP government for this purpose of which 53 per cent share would be borne by the Asian Development Bank, 15 per cent by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and 20 per cent by the provincial government while 11 per cent would be shared by the stakeholders themselves.

The project is being implemented in most of northern and southern districts as well as Aurakzai Agency of adjacent tribal belt.

According to programme about Rs779 million were being spent on rural population especially women development, Rs1352 million on development of agriculture and natural resources, Rs2464 million on rural infrastructure, including construction of 41 small power houses, 33 tube-wells, 144 dug-wells, 395 streams, ponds and 900 kilometres unpaved and black topped roads in the province, Rs692 million on rural lendings, financial support and services including provision of loans to farmers through NGOs and Rs666 million on institutional support.

They said that farmers would be provided extensively attractive opportunities for agriculture.—APP