The committee, which met at Parliament House on Monday, was briefed by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) about its contributions in the last five years to the development of the less developed areas of the country, and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and about its future planning and mechanism.
The committee recommended that the government give loans at zero interest to the people of backward districts of Balochistan, FATA and South Punjab to enable them to fulfill their basic needs, and provide facilities of health and education.
The committee recommended the government to make development in those areas of the country where the sources of minerals exist. It was also recommended to engage bilateral and multilateral donors, diverting grants to the less developed areas.
Briefing the committee, the chief executive officer of the PPAF said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a great economic opportunity, introducing projects worth $52 billion. He said that the committee should give suggestions to invest two percent of total CPEC investment for the people of backward and less developed areas.
He said a total of Rs 50,000 loan is being given to a poor person for small business and livestock by the PPAF programme. We also monitor the process of people's businesses.
Committee chairman Usman Kakar proposed to the government to provide funds to the less developed and backward areas for their connectivity with the CPEC route, especially with the western route. He said that out of two percent of the total investment of CPEC, one percent each should be allocated by Pakistan and China for this purpose.
Senator Mir Kabir Ahmed said that there is very serious water shortage in Balochistan. He said that the government should launch projects of small dams and pipelines for meeting the demand of drinking water and irrigation. He said that small water projects can be started in far-flung areas with minute funds for providing water to the poor people of Balochistan.