KOTAL (Khyber Agency), July 20: The government has earmarked Rs650 million for the development of Khyber Agency during the current fiscal year.

This was stated by Dr Tashfeen, Political Agent of Khyber Agency, while addressing members of the Agency Council at Khyber House here on Thursday.

Dr Tashfeen said another Rs90 million was allocated for development schemes in the remote valley of Tirah. He informed the councillors that 30 per cent of the allocation would be spent on controlling diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and hepatitis.

He said the Agency Councils were created with a clear-cut agenda of identifying, executing and monitoring development projects in tribal areas and urged the Agency councilors to pinpoint any irregularities in the utilisation of the development fund. He advised the councilors to recommend schemes only on merit.

The political agent said that the government wanted to make the role of Agency Council even more effective. The council should serve as a bridge between tribal people and the political administration, he said.

While urging the councilors to identify genuine problems of the people, he promised that their grievances would be redressed. He also assured the members of the Agency Council that all development schemes would be executed in consultation with them.