PESHAWAR, Oct 14: The NWFP government will soon undertake Community Infrastructure Project-II (CIP-II) with an estimated expenditure of Rs 3.5 billion to strengthen the local bodies system in the province.

This was stated by provincial minister for local government and rural development Sardar Mohammad Idrees at the Peshawar Press Club’s Guest Hour programme on Tuesday.

He said the World Bank would finance the project with the  active participation  of  local communities, tehsil  and  municipal administration.

Apart from CIP-II, Mr Idrees said Urban Development Project was also in the pipeline for which the Asian Development Bank would provide financial assistance. The project would start in March 2004, he added

The bank would grant Rs 1.3 billion for the project under which the community infrastructure schemes in small towns would be undertaken, he added.

He hoped that these projects would put positive impact on local economy and generate employment activities in the province.

He said the provincial government had received assistance from the UK-based Development for International Development for drinking water supply schemes in rural areas. These schemes would be implemented at different places of the districts where they are needed immediately.

Replying to a question, the minister said that international donor agencies had lauded the government policies and had agreed to sanction grants for social sector development in the province.

“Donors have expressed satisfaction over financial discipline and a better monitoring system maintained by the government,” Mr Idrees said.

He claimed that the donor agencies including WB were giving financial assistance to the NWFP government on merit, claiming that the MMA did not deviate from its manifesto. He said the level of corruption had decreased in public sector due to better monitoring and financial discipline.

Regarding the MMA and District Nazims relations, he claimed that the provincial government had resolved all grievances of the Nazims. He maintained that certain proposals had been put forward to National Reconstruction Bureau to streamline the  Local Government Ordinance, 2001.