PESHAWAR, Jan 28: Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah on Wednesday formally launched a Rs1.136 billion Fata development project at a two-day workshop held at the Pakistan Academy for Rural Development.

The plan, which will cover three southern tribal agencies of Kurram, North Waziristan and South Waziristan, has been approved by Ecnec. The International Fund for Agricultural Development will finance 78.5 per cent project scheduled to be completed in six years.

The project aims at alleviating poverty and improving the household food security of small landowners and the landless rural women. The governor in his keynote address expressed dismay over delay in launching the project and directed the authorities concerned to investigate the causes.

"Time is very critical, but it took us years to select staff and prepare PC-I, which speaks of the indifferent attitude of the officials concerned," he said.

On the occasion, the governor highlighted the significance of community participation in development projects and urged tribesmen to come forward and take an initiative in this regard.