ABBOTTABAD, May 12: Eighteen sectors have been identified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for the implementation of the Abbottabad Integrated Development Vision programme by the district government. This was stated by IUCN’s district manager Junaid Khan at a briefing for journalists and members of the district council on Thursday.

He said NWFP Governor Khalilur Rehman would officially launch the AIDV programme on May 14.

He said Abbottabad had been selected by the IUCN about eight years back. After consulting people from all walks of life, a comprehensive strategy was chalked out for the improvement of institutions and quality of life of people.

Under the strategy, it has been proposed that local people should be involved in planning, implementation and monitoring of development plans through a constant process of participation, networking and linkage.

Mr Khan said it had also been proposed that 18 sectors should be divided in three groups — green sector, brown sector and socio-economic sector.

In the green sector, agriculture and horticulture had been set as main priority area with forests and watersheds, livestock and poultry, grazing lands and fodder reserves, fisheries as main areas of focus.

The brown sector included mining, energy, wastewater and solid waste management and land-use planning and zoning, whereas in the socio-economic sector, education had been given the top priority with health and population welfare, infrastructure, roads and communication, drinking water, eco-tourism, enterprise development and culture as major areas of focus.