PESHAWAR, June 14: More than 300 new development schemes worth Rs5.3 billion will be initiated in the NWWP under the Annual Development Programme (ADP). This will be done in line with the special directives issued by the governor, chief minister and a senior minister of the province. Twentyfive development schemes will be carried out in compliance with the governor’s directives.

Nine schemes have been included in the next financial year’s ADP for which directives have been issued by the senior minister of the province, Siraj-ul-Haq, whereas 278 schemes have been made part of the new fiscal year on the basis of instructions given by Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani.

The estimated cost of the 312 development schemes is approximately Rs5.37 billion.

Talking to Dawn sources said the provincial government had ignored the recommendations of the planning and development department, suggesting reduction in the number of schemes to increase funding for the neglected sectors.

The department, said the sources, had suggested that an amount of not more than Rs400 million should be allocated for the development schemes for the next fiscal year.

“But the government did not pay heed and decided to go with its plan,” said the sources.

Apart from the 312 new schemes, the provincial government’s next financial year’s ADP included 550 development schemes pertaining to the Drought and Emergency Relief Assistance (DERA) programme and 553 new schemes which would be initiated with the assistance of the provincial government, the sources said.