APP
PESHAWAR
The Special Secretary for Local Government (LG), Motasim Billah and Deputy Mission Director U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Michael Nehrbass on Thursday launched a comprehensive study completed on development needs and priorities of 702 village and neighborhood councils situated in merged districts.
The study containing profiling of Socio-economic Status and Development of Village Development Plans in village and neighborhood councils of merged areas establishes socioeconomic baselines at village level. It provides guidelines for formulation of local development plans within KP merged areas.
Motasim Billah, Special Secretary LG said that provincial government has focused prioritizing development needs of merged areas. He also praised efforts taken by LG Department in collaboration with Planning and Development Department.
I appreciate assistance provided by the development partners including USAID and UNDP in planning and implementation of government’s initiatives for uplift of these areas, he said and added that technical support provided by LG Reforms Unit and Institute of Management Sciences is commendable in formulating the socioeconomic profiling and development plans of 702 village and neighbourhood councils of merged districts.
Speaking on the occasion, Nehrbass said that “The findings in the study would help elected representatives and local governments to effectively use development funds allocated for merged districts. USAID is committed to partner with KP Government in bringing merged district like other districts in the province.”
“Findings of the study are the outcome of detailed consultations with communities in merged districts to identify their needs and priorities about public service delivery that have been addressed within the socio-economic development plans,” said Skye Christensen, Chief Technical Specialist of United Nations Development Program’s (UNDP) Merged Areas Governance Project.
