PESHAWAR, Oct 25: Fata Secretariat on Thursday approved proposals of 31 development projects to be funded by Community Development Fund (CDF) under the German-funded Fata Livelihood Project (FLP).

“Through these projects, communities can organise themselves and demonstrate social responsibility,” Fata Secretariat director general (projects) Mazhar Ali Shah said at the opening of the meeting of the Regional CDF Committee here.

He said giving communities the right to make decisions was giving them a basic right.

FLP senior coordinator Asim Shafi said on the occasion that it was the first time that communities took the main responsibility of all steps in a development project from concept development, planning, proposal formulation and training to monitoring and evaluation.

He said proposals of the development projects were worked out well and the feasibility of each project was analysed for impact and sustainability.

Mr Shafi said the communities could count on the technical support of FLP in facilitating partners until the completion of projects with solid experience in the field.

Additional political agent of Khyber Agency and local CDF committee’s chairman Attaur Rehman discussed all projects individually with the community members and representatives of the line departments of Fata Secretariat and addressed their concerns.

He said different schemes included water supply, protection walls and street pavements.

“It will have an impact on the underdeveloped areas of FR Peshawar,” he said.

President of CBO of Peepal Kalay Haji Laghman said the meeting was beyond their expectation and the German initiative would allow locals to have their say in development activities in their own areas.

The ceremony was attended by representatives from the Political Administration, Community Based Organisations of FR Peshawar and Jamrud, Khyber Agency, and the German Development Cooperation.

The reunion was also convened to seek comments on the proposals before the implementation phase.