The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a technical assistance (TA) grant of $465,000 to strengthen key institutions involved with the development of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
The technical assistance will strengthen key agencies working in Fata in the planning, design, monitoring, and evaluation of rural development projects, ahead of a $40 million rural development project in the pipeline for 2004.
The development of Fata significantly lags behind the adjoining settled districts of North West Frontier Province and the country as a whole.
The government estimates that up to 60 percent of Fata households live below the poverty line.
The region has a literacy rate of 17.4 percent and a primary school participation rate of 41.3 percent, which are significantly lower than the national averages of 45 percent and 77 percent respectively. Only 44 percent of the population have access to clean drinking water as compared to 75 percent of the NWFP.
"Following discussions with key officials, it was determined that the TA should address weaknesses in planning, implementation, budgeting, and monitoring," an ADB Senior Rural Development Specialist and mission leader for the TA Donneth A. Walton said.
"The assistance will also strengthen technical skills and handling of information communication technology."
The departments and line agencies involved include Planning and Development, Finance, Livestock and Dairy Development, Agriculture Extension, Local Government and Rural Development, Forestry and Works and Services.
The technical assistance will significantly boost the skills of professional staff of line agencies working in Fata and responsible for broad-based development in the region.
Training would be undertaken through participatory workshops. The total cost of the assistance is estimated at $605,000 equivalent. The government will contribute $150,000 towards the technical assistance.
The Governor Secretariat Fata will be the executing agency for the assistance, which will be carried out in about 18 months, to September 2005.