PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has directed concerned authorities to finalize the ground work for efficient utilization of the fresh assistance offered by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at the earliest.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency has offered assistance and rehabilitation for rural roads of the Province affected by floods, earthquakes and other calamities.
A delegation of JICA called on the Chief Minister in Islamabad where KP Minister for Communication Works Akbar Ayub Khan, Secretary C&W, Chief Economist and high-ups of PE&DD were also present said a press release issued here on Wednesday.
The meeting discussed a recent agreement National Engineering Service Pakistan (NESPAK) had been assigned conducting feasibility of different rural roads networks which had been done so in Abbottabad and Haripur.
JICA has under its assistance program financed the said study. Around 2000 kilo meter rural roads have been proposed for rehabilitation and reconstruction initially of which those largely prioritized over 600 km will be taken up for physical work in the upcoming financial year.
While the projects will soon be approved from Provincial Development Party and ECNEC, every effort will be made to make it ready for taking up by upcoming June, it was agreed.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also directed on this occasion to prepare a case for availing from the Japanese Embassy Counter Value Grant for the purposes of purchasing machinery and equipment for rural hospitals in the Province. So far such funds though available free of any costs has not been utilized, it was pointed out on the occasion.
The Chief Minister on this occasion also appreciated JICA contribution to the provision of basic amenities of lives to the people of the Province which he said included the construction of a large number of rural roads, bridges, education institutions and facilities in rural health and basic health centers.
APP