USAID-KP Govt Games Begins For A Cause Under Project – Land Registration In Merged Areas

PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th May, 2024) The colourful opening ceremony of the Games sponsored jointly by USAID and government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for a cause begins here at the newly established sports arena recently constructed by Pakistan Army inside University of Peshawar here on Monday.

The Games including cricket, Football, Volleyball and Badminton for both male and female athletes, hailing from Landikotal was designed by USAID-Pakistan Land Registration in Merged Area Project. Irfan Younis, representative of the USAID and LRMA, representatives of the SDLR were also present.

The Games were formally inaugurated Hafiz Atta Ul Munim, Secretary Govt of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, board of Revenue, Sajid Afridi, Deputy Director Youth Arshad Hussain, District Youth Officer, Khyber, Fakhre Hussain, District Account Officer, Khyber, Miss Hira Ali, SDLT Officer, Tehsildar Landikotel Syed Shawarin Shah, LRMA Teams, players, officials were also present.

Speaking on this occasion, Hafiz Atta Ul Munim said that the aim and objective is to involve the merged areas youth in healthy sports activities and provide them awareness about the USAID-LRMA. It is a common cause as there are many incidents related to land despite wherein precious live loss occurs on its interior because of no identification of land ownership.

The four-year USAID Pakistan Land Registration in Merged Areas (LRMA) Activity is designed to help families, landowners, investors, banks, and government actors obtain access to accurate, understandable, and current records of their land rights, he added.

“Using technology and sound management practices, this project will assist in improving land record management, enhancing governance, and enabling planning for broad-based economic growth,” said Secretary Board of Revenue, KP Atta Ul Munim in his address to the gathering.

He thanked USAID for initiating and supporting LRMA would strengthen the legal framework that supports access to accurate ownership and title records, equitable rights recognition, dispute resolution systems, collateralization of land, and the private use of government land for revenue generation and economic development.

“We’re looking forward to working in partnership with the USAID to support the implementation of the Tribal Decade Strategy by establishing a modern, transparent, and inclusive land registration system,” Atta ul Munim said.

Led by an all-Pakistani team, LRMA adds to an array of ongoing projects supporting the Government of Pakistan across several sectors, including economic growth, trade, social development, and health, he added. “Our land tenure and property rights work includes securing property rights, policy and legal reforms and regularization, cadaster development, land record rehabilitation and management, land information systems, institution building and information dissemination, participatory land use and resource planning, dispute resolution and mitigation, training, research and communications, and grants management,” Dr. Dervesh Afridi, on a land registration drives said.

He said, the KP Govt Tribal Decade Strategy commits to providing the economic, social, and gender equity benefits of secure land tenure and property rights to the people. The LRMA Activity contributes to this strategy by establishing a land record and registration system in seven districts of the Merged Areas so that citizens, families, landowners, investors, banks, and government actors have access to accurate, understandable, and current records of their land rights, Irfan Younis said in his address.

He said, LRMA strengthens the legal framework that supports access to accurate ownership and title records, equitable rights recognition, dispute resolution systems (both formal and informal), collateralization of land, and the private use of government land for revenue generation and economic development.

Earlier, all the 200 players from various teams took part in March, followed by the National Anthem. The players’ part of the Games were provided full kits, shoes and playing gear. The finals and closing ceremony of the Games will be held on May 31, 2024.