Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has directed the Economic Zone Development and Management Company (EZDMC) to identify feasible projects of industrial estates in the Newly Merged Districts (NMDs) to promote industrial activities and provide employment opportunities to the local people. He issued these directives while chairing a meeting regarding development schemes and public issues of the merged districts here, said an official news release issued here Sunday. Besides, Members Provincial Assembly from the merged areas, the meeting was attended by administrative secretaries and other high ups of relevant departments. The chief minister directed the concerned authorities to introduce a biometric system in all major hospitals of the merged districts, expedite work on the ongoing projects for setting up government schools and to propose new projects in consultation with the concerned elected representatives for the establishment of schools on need basis. The chief minister has also directed the Energy and Power Department to identify feasible projects for setting up of mini hydro power stations in these districts. Mahmood Khan further directed all the departments to complete the posting transfer of all government employees working on the same post for more than two years in the merged districts within 15 days positively and submit reports accordingly. The chief minister directed the district administrations of the merged areas to ensure regular holding of open Katcheris for timely resolution of public issues at local level and to ensure the participation of the people and elected public representatives in these open Katcheris. On this occasion, the chief minister assured to provide the required funds to all the constituencies of merged districts in the next annual budget for the provision of power transformers, electric poles and resolve other electricity related issues directing the quarters concerned to prepare schemes to be reflected in the upcoming budget. Mahmood Khan further directed the Administrative heads of all the departments for necessary steps to ensure 100% utilization of development funds in all the merged districts and made it clear that any kind of negligence would not be tolerated in this regard. He said that Ex-FATA was now an integral part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and it was the top priority of his government to bring these areas at par with the settled districts in the field of development for which all the departments are required to show exceptional performance. The Chief Minister stated that a total funds of more than 83.00 billion rupees had been earmarked in the current budget under ADP and AIP for various development projects in the merged districts adding that both the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and federal governments were giving their share of the NFC for the tribal districts as per their commitments, other provinces should also fulfill their commitments in this regard to ensure the accelerated development of the merged districts. On this occasion, Members Provincial Assembly from the newly merged districts flagged various public issues in their respective constituencies and the chair directed the concerned authorities to take necessary steps on priority basis to resolve those issues and show significant progress to this effect in the next meeting.