A total of 2107 schemes costing Rs2,526 million were approved by the Federal Development Committee of PWP-I for execution in AJK, Gilgit Baltistan and Fata and special development package in Islamabad for strengthening capacity-building institutions. — File Photo

ISLAMABAD: The federal government would spend Rs30.8 billion for accelerated development of less-developed regions where disturbed law and order situation hampered development.

Priority would be given to those schemes which are nearing completion, reveals annual plan document.

Rupees five billion would be spent under the phase one of People’s Works Programme (PWP) while Rs1.3 billion have been set aside for projects of narcotics control division and the interior division for militancy affected areas.

Rupees 24.6 billion allocation has been made for development activities in special areas.

A total of 2107 schemes costing Rs2,526 million were approved by the Federal Development Committee of PWP-I for execution in AJK, Gilgit Baltistan and Fata and special development package in Islamabad for strengthening capacity-building institutions.

The objectives of these programmes was provision of basic social and infrastructure facilities for improving the life of the rural people.

Major projects include 137km rural roads, 42 drinking water supply schemes, 18 hydro power stations, 34 million square feet of street pavements, training of 3,650 persons in different fields, and upgradation of six women training centres.

These development activities are supplemented to federal vertical programme being implemented in various sectors, such as power generation, health, family planning, expanded programme of immunisation, national material, neo-natal, child care, education improvement projects, enhanced HIV/AIDS control programme, national programme for water courses improvement and area development projects in Fata against poppy cultivation.

The Planning Commission has classified four localities in Punjab; nine in Sindh; 10 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; seven tribal agencies and six frontier regions including Peshawar, whole AJK except Muzaffarabad and Mirpur, and five localities in Gilgit Baltistan as less developed regions.

Official documents reveal that only Rs26.2 billion (76 per cent) would be utilised against revised allocation of Rs34.4 billion. The entire allocation could not be utilized due to law enforcement operations against miscreants and devastating floods in Swat and Fata.