PESHAWAR: Showing a dismal picture of sanitation services in tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a study has revealed that 579 of 702 village and neighbourhood councils in the region with a population of 4.8 million don’t have sanitation facility.

Findings of the study carried out by the local government reforms unit in collaboration with the USAID and United Nations Development Programme were released here on Thursday during a special ceremony, which was attended by local government special secretary Motasim Billah and US Agency for International Development deputy mission director Michael Nehrbass.

The study titled ‘profiling of socioeconomic status and development of village development plans in the village and neighbourhood councils of the merged areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’.

A statement issued here said the study established socioeconomic baselines at the village level and provided guidelines for the formulation of the local development plans in merged tribal areas.

Findings of study on development needs of region released

According to it, the study showed that 691 VCNCs had educational facilities for boys but 11 didn’t have them, while 580 VCNCs had schools for girls but 122 didn’t have facilities for the girls’ education.

Also, 118 villages across the region have coed facilities.

A total of 306 VCNCs in tribal districts are without health facilities but 396 councils have one or more health facilities.

According to the study, 596 VCNCs have paved roads but 106 have none.

The supply of clean drinking water is available in 400 VCNCs in tribal districts and 1.47 million people in 214 have no access to tubewells, pumps and spring gravity schemes.

Seventy-nine VCNCs demanded electric supply as well.

A statement issued here said special secretary of the local government department Motasim Billah said the provincial government was prioritising the development needs of merged tribal areas and his department’s efforts in collaboration with the planning and development department for the purpose were commendable.

He also appreciated the assistance provided by development partners, including USAID and UNDP, in the planning and implementation of the government’s initiatives for the development of those areas.

The special secretary said the study was a proof of the immense efforts invested in the merged tribal areas by the government and its development partners.

He said the technical support provided by the local government reforms unit and Institute of Management Sciences was commendable in formulating the socioeconomic profiling and development plans of the 702 VCNCs of merged districts.

The special secretary said the profiles and development plans would guide the provincial government and its development partners in evidence- based planning and development of the merged districts.

“The study will help elected representatives and local governments effectively use development funds allocated for merged districts,” he said.

Mr Nehrbass said the USAID was committed to partnering with the provincial government to bring merged tribal districts on a par with other districts in the province.

“Findings of the study are the outcome of detailed consultations with communities in tribal districts to identify their needs and priorities about public service delivery, which have been addressed within the socioeconomic development plans,” said chief technical specialist of the United Nations Development Programme’s Merged Areas Governance Project Skye Christensen.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2020