PESHAWAR, March 4: The Fata Secretariat is going to prepare a feasibility report for setting up a bank to facilitate the people of tribal areas in availing investment opportunities.

The establishment of a financial institution of Fata was in the offing and a contract to prepare feasibility report was awarded to a firm on Monday, said a handout issued by Fata Secretariat. In this connection, a ceremony was held at Fata Secretariat to sign a contract between Fata Investment Facilitation Authority (FIFA) and Grand Thornton, a consultancy firm, for conducting the feasibility study for establishment of Fata bank. The contract was signed by FIFA secretary Arshad Majid and Grand Thornton director Khalid Safdar.

Mr Majid said that after concerted efforts of more than seven months, Fata Secretariat was able to select a consultancy firm, out of five highly reputed ones, for conducting the feasibility.

He said that Fata was hit hard by militancy and government was trying to restore peace in the area by initiating several developmental projects. He said that a series of developmental activities was already underway in the region. Extending every possible help to the firm, the official said that government hoped that the firm, selected to conduct feasibility, would complete its job timely. About the presence of minerals and other natural resources in Fata, he said that there were seven billion tonnes of marble only in Mohmand Agency and 36 million tonnes of copper in North Waziristan Agency.

Mr Majid said that he was optimistic that the establishment of Fata bank would go long way in accelerating development activities in the tribal areas.

Meanwhile, another handout issued by Fata Secretariat said that around 741,788 children under the age of five years would be administered drops in tribal areas during the three-day anti-polio campaign.

The anti-polio drive was launched during a ceremony at Fata Secretariat on Monday in the presence of Social Sectors and Health secretary Dr Aftab Akbar Durrani, Fata Health Services director Dr Fawad Khan and representatives of World Health Organisation.

The handout said that 2,317 mobile teams, 605 area in-charges, 76 transit teams and 232 fixed teams were deputed to vaccinate 741,788 children in Fata. The field staff was advised to work with utmost dedication to make the campaign a success, it said.