August 31, 2008	Sunday	Sha'aban 28, 1429

PESHAWAR, Aug 30: The government will need Rs28 billion to complete development projects reflected in the current Annual Development Programme for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, officials say.

A meeting presided over by Governor Owais Ahmad Ghani reviewed the Fata Annual Development Programme, 2007-08, here on Saturday, said a handout. Additional chief secretary Habibullah Khan, senior officials and political agents attended the meeting.

The meeting said that of Rs6,122 million released under the Annual Development Programme for 2007-8, meant for Fata, Rs6,107 million was spent on 1,076 schemes, including 218 new ones, over the period, which reflected a utilisation ratio of 97 per cent.

An amount of Rs700 million was allocated for projects suggested by the Fata Development Authority.

Mr Ghani appreciated performance of line departments and the Fata Monitoring Cell, saying the practice of agency-wise development progress and project-wise implementation review should be continued not only to maintain the tempo of development activities, but also to make plans more result-oriented.

He said the government was sparing no effort to provide sufficient financial resources. The facilities aimed at capacity building of the respective department needed to be further upgraded and improved in order to ensure efficient utilisation of available resources, he added. —Bureau Report