November 25, 2003	Tuesday	Ramazan 29, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 24: The federal government has approved Rs1.9 billion Azad Jummu and Kashmir Community Development Programme project to alleviate poverty, specially in the rural areas of the territory, officials say.

They said that the project would be undertaken within the current year. Out of Rs1.9 billion, Rs1.2 billion would be contributed by the International Fund for Agriculture Development, while Rs330.46 million was committed by the World Food Programme for the project.

The overall programme objective is to improve the condition of the rural poor through consolidation, strengthening and expansion of gender-sensitive, community-based participatory village development, planning, implementation and monitoring.

The community infrastructure component involves schemes relating to irrigation, water supply, sanitation, education, health, rural access roads and micro-hydel power generation.

The Planning and Development Department of the AJK has designed a development strategy in a participatory way by inviting all stakeholders, including community representatives, to ascertain their views towards future development of the neglected areas.

Priority would be accorded for capacity-building in departments for implementing multi-sectoral projects and training of staff and community activists.

Similarly, diversification of crop production from traditional crops to high-value cash crops and development of agriculture marketing system would also be ensured under the project. The project also seeks to improve livestock and poultry productivity with emphasis on better management, feeding and breeding practices.

The AJK government has been directed to enhance the capabilities of people to exploit economic opportunities.