KOHAT, Jan 4: The Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment has distributed the first instalment of discretionary fund among the nazims of 32 union councils of Kohat. Each nazim was given Rs15,000 of the Rs50,000 allocated to each union council, here on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, trust representative Sultan Room Swati said the trust wanted to provide necessary funds to the district government to be spent on the area.

The district governments have been bound to prepare their budgets according to the provincial finance commission’s recommendations, which had limited allocations for new development schemes and non-development expenditure.

Therefore, the trust sanctioned funds in addition to grants from the provincial and federal governments. It helps district governments in providing health facilities, potable water, road construction etc., according to the needs of the people at the union council level.

The trust would also provide funds to press clubs and bar associations to make them financially stable and independent bodies.

Mr Swati said that each district would be provided funds according to its area and the number of union councils. Under this criteria, the Kohat district government would get Rs4 million, tehsil council Rs2 million, whereas the press clubs and bar associations would be given Rs50,000 each.

The trust had selected Kohat, Karak and Bannu districts of the southern NWFP for distribution of funds and providing additional grant to citizen community boards in the second phase.

The funds would be released to the boards in instalments based on 20-80 equity. The trust bears 80 per cent cost of any project.

Speaking on the occasion, District Nazim Seth Gohar asked the elected representatives to shun political differences and help him pass the benefits of the devolution system on to common man.

He promised that every UC would get its due share in the development funds and priority would be given to the neglected areas.

MPA Syed Kalb-i-Hassan thanked the trust for giving financial support to the district and vowed to work as a team with the district and tehsil nazim for the development of the area.

He expressed the hope that district and provincial funds would be utilised under a joint strategy and with mutual understanding.

The cheque distribution ceremony was held at the District Council Hall, KDA, and attended by District Coordination Officer Arshad Majeed Mohmand, Tehsil Nazim Dilbar Khan, union nazims, naib nazims and councillors.