PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Friday notified the integration of four more directorates of the Merged Areas Secretariat with the relevant departments.

They include Fata directorates of agricultural extension, forests, irrigation and hydel power, and sports.

Under the notification issued by the establishment department, the directorate of agriculture extension will have the administrative control of two other directorates including livestock and dairy development and fisheries.

The notification said in pursuance of the integration and merger of the erstwhile Fata with the province and to provide better administrative management, the directorates working under the Fata secretariat would report to their respective secretary to provincial government in all official business.

It added that the subsequent modalities on their auxiliary matters would be decided shortly.

The notification said in case of issues in financing, development schemes and other matters relating to the erstwhile Fata vis-à-vis the federal government and other partners, the respective secretary could communicate and route cases in line with the current arrangements.

Few weeks ago, the KP government announced the merger of the directorates of health, zakat, usher and social welfare, population welfare and education with the relevant provincial departments.

CM VISIT TO TRIBAL DISTRICTS:

A spokesman for the KP government on Friday said Chief Minister Mahmood Khan would soon visit the tribal districts.

A statement issued here said CM Mahmood Khan met Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on Friday and briefed him about the post-merger situation in tribal districts.

It added that the chief minister also informed the premier about the integration of the erstwhile Fata departments with the provincial government.

The statement said the premier directed the chief minister to visit the tribal districts.

It said the chief minister informed the premier that his government was taking steps to develop tribal districts for the benefit of local residents.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2018