FATA Institutional Strengthening Project: Study of Functions, Structure and Planning Processes of Planning and Development, FATA Secretariat

The department's main functions include facilitating the formulation of development policies and shaping them into short, medium, and long-term plans. The P&D Department also plays a crucial role in processing and approving development projects, acting as the secretariat of the FATA Development Working Party (FDWP), and regulating foreign assistance to FATA. The regular strength of the FATA P&D Department at the Secretariat level, including support staff, is 62. Out of this, 41 staff, including 11 officers, were sanctioned in early 1970 under the FATA Section of Provincial P&D, headed by the Chief of Section FATA (B.S 19). Additionally, 21 positions, including 8 officers, were sanctioned under the "Monitoring & Coordination Cell, P&D, FATA Secretariat." Due to the increased workload, three more projects were approved to support the functioning of the Planning & Development Department, including the "Strengthening of Planning & Development (SP&D) Project," the "Directorate of Projects" (DOP), and the "Directorate of Monitoring & Evaluation." The FATA ADP includes the development portfolio of ongoing and new programs in 7 Agencies and 6 Frontier Regions (FRs), reflected under various sectors and sub-sectors. The ADP formulation is coordinated with the political administration of all the agencies and FRs, as well as the directorates of the concerned sectors and sub-sectors. Each year, the Federal Government indicates a lump-sum amount in the Federal PSDP for the development of FATA, which is further distributed amongst the Agencies/FRs for the implementation of ongoing and new programs. At each agency level, a combined office of Additional Political Agent (APA) was established to perform the functions related to the P&D and Finance Departments. The objective was to eliminate unnecessary delay and perform all the functions of Planning, Development, Audit, and Accounts, Financial releases, etc., in one office under the overall functional supervision of Political Agents. The Agency Planning Officer, assisted by two Assistant Planning Officers, Head Draftsman, Sub-Engineers, Assistants, and other support staff, heads the Agency Planning Cells. The FATA Secretariat has a total of 26 staff recruited by the Provincial P&D, who are still working in the FATA Secretariat. However, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa P&D Department has not maintained appropriate records and seniority of these employees, resulting in uncertainty about their future. The staff in the P&D Department is recruited directly from the market and put to work without any training, leading to a lack of professionalism and individualism among the staff. The development process in FATA is not addressed professionally due to inadequate capacity building facilities and uncertainty about the future of P&D staff. The ADP allocations are not fully released by the Federal Government, and PSDP allocations are not provided in an upward direction over time. New schemes are included in the ADP haphazardly, and the average span for completion of schemes ranges from 2.9 years to 12.7 years, which is abnormally long. The FATA is left with very little time for optimal utilization of funds due to releases at a belated stage or near the closing of the financial year. The FATA P&D Department does not have the services of a qualified computer graduate for the computer section, essential for efficient management of data base during the formulation of ADP and finalization of revised estimates at the end of the year. The department lacks a qualified computer graduate, which is essential for efficient management of data base during the formulation of ADP and finalization of revised estimates at the end of the year. To ensure effective and efficient utilization of resources, the study recommends that the FATA P&D Department should be strengthened by providing adequate capacity building facilities and training to the staff. The department should also be provided with the necessary resources and infrastructure to perform its functions efficiently. The FATA Secretariat should maintain accurate records and seniority of the employees recruited by the Provincial P&D. The department should also be provided with a qualified computer graduate for the computer section to manage data base efficiently.