PESHAWAR: The federal government will spend Rs8.51 billion on the construction of additional wing and accommodation facilities of the Frontier Corps, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in the next fiscal.

The official documents show that Rs2.79 billion has been allocated in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2017-18 against the estimated cost of Rs8.51 billion for the provision of accommodation facilities to the FC in the province.

The interior division has put the estimated cost of the construction of additional wing for Shawal Rifles in Razmak and provision of accommodation to the paramilitary troops in North Waziristan, Bajaur, Kurram, Khyber and Orakzai agencies at Rs8.51 billion of which Rs2.79 billion will be released in the new financial year starting on July 1.

Govt to release Rs2.79bn for the purpose in new fiscal year

While efforts are under way to strengthen the FC KP, the first line of defence in the war against terrorism in tribal region, the federal government has spent Rs80 billion on civil armed forces during the last three years. The FC KP has been divided into north and south wings. The PSDP documents show that the total 2017-18 budgetary allocations for the tribal areas are Rs32.188 billion, including the Rs26.9 billion annual development programme. Of these funds, Rs26.9 billon will be spent in different sectors, including education, health and roads, through the Civil Secretariat, Fata.

These three sectors always receive a major chunk of the ADP funding.

Officials said 10 per cent of the total Fata ADP would go to the Fata Development Authority and the rest will be used through the relevant departments and attached directorates.

The ADP is likely to be finalised by the end of June.

The KP governor serving as the chief executive of Fata will sanction allocations for different sectors in the tribal region.

The federal government has increased the Fata ADP to Rs26 billion against Rs21 billion for the outgoing financial year, showing an increase of 23 per cent.

According to the breakup, the finance division has allocated Rs100 million, Higher Education Commission Rs550 million, interior division Rs2.79 billion, narcotics control Rs76.662 million, national health services regulation and coordination Rs78.841 million, national history and literary heritage Rs20 million, state and frontier regions Rs26.9 billion and water and power Rs1.66 billion.

The Fata University, which began academic activities at a renovated building in Darra Adamkhel last year, has got Rs250 million in the new financial year against the estimated cost of Rs1.59 billion.

In addition, Rs300 million will go to the higher education of Fata students. The population welfare department has been given Rs78.841 million against the estimated cost of Rs997.395 million.

One interesting component of the Fata ADP is the establishment of the Nawaz Sharif Model Town in Miramshah, the administrative headquarters of North Waziristan. The estimated cost of the town is Rs2 billion and the State and Frontier Regions division has got Rs50 million funds in 2017-18 for it.

The officials said the model town seemed to be a political initiative. The government has allocated Rs1.2 billion for the proposed Mohmand dam against the estimated cost of Rs262.3 billion.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2017