SWABI, July 4: The federal government has agreed to provide Rs35 million for NWFP industrial estates under the head of Investment Development Fund (IDF), it is learnt. According to sources, after the industrial estates demanded the funds, the government asked them to provide a comprehensive data of works they wanted to carry out and amount needed for the projects. Each industrial estate, the sources said, had provided the government a data of the projects, including feasibility reports, and their estimated costs. The industrial estates demanded release of funds under the IDF.

The industrial estates include those in Hattar, Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Nowshera, Jalozai and Gadoon Amazai. The Export Processing Zone in Rasalpur would also get its share of the funds.

The government, sources said, had agreed in principle to provide the funds for the proposed projects.

Sources said that the Peshawar and Hattar industrial estates were likely to receive lion’s share of the funds and the Gadoon estate would get about Rs7 to 8 million, expected to be released next month.

Sources said that the NWFP government had held several meetings with the federal government to demand the release of the funds as soon as possible.

Sources said the funds would be utilized by the industrial estates for repair of roads and culverts, electrification and laying of drains among other works.

A majority of the roads, sources said, were in bad condition, which hampered transportation of the products.