ISLAMABAD: The Planning Commission’s Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Thursday dropped approval of 32.5 megawatt Hydropower project at Attabad Lake, Hunza, with estimated cost of Rs9.7 billion after inability of the concerned ministries to generate resources from international donors.
The CDWP which met under Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, got perturbed over persistent surge in cost escalation of this project. “The CDWP refused to approve this project without knowing reasons to ascertain that why this cost escalation is happening and ministries concerned are unable to arrange financing from donors,” said the top official sources after attending the CDWP meeting here on Thursday.
The project envisages construction of 32.5MW hydropower project, located on the right bank of the Hunza River, towards downstream end of Attabad Lake developed as a result of massive landslide approximately 21km long and 120m deep. This project was considered in CDWP meeting held on 4-12-2017 wherein the CDWP had recommended the project for consideration of the Ecnec at rationalised cost of Rs9.746 billion with foreign exchange component of Rs2.307 billion. It was also decided that the sponsor will assess requirements for the current financial year and the same may be provided through re-appropriation and explore financing arrangement from IFIs/donors.
In compliance with the sponsor have allocated Rs110 million in PSDP for fiscal year 2019-20. However, after lapse of more than 2 years the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs & Giligit Baltistan is unable to explore financing of the project and neither the Donor Conference was arranged by the Ministry of Energy in consultation with Economic Affairs Division (EAD).
According to official statement issued after the meeting, The CDWP meeting on Thursday, presided over by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, approved 09 projects worth Rs40 billion and recommended 02 projects worth Rs55.5billion to Ecnec for consideration.
Senior officials from federal and provincial governments were also present in the meeting. Projects related to Energy, Science & Technology, Health and Water Resources were presented in the meeting.
Five projects related to Energy were presented in the meeting. The first project was “Establishment of Regional Grid in Gilgit-Baltistan Phase-1” worth Rs4,959.187 million was approved by CDWP. Third project “220 KV Nawab Shah Substation” worth Rs6,291.80 million was also approved in the meeting. Fourth project of Energy was “220 KV Larkana New substations” worth Rs6,449.40 million was also approved in the meeting. Fifth project of energy titled “Procurement of 220KV Mibile Grid Station along with the Emergency Recovery of System and 500Kv shunt Reactors for Emergency Services” worth Rs6,978.95 million was approved by CDWP. Sixth project titled “220 KV Swabi Substation” worth Rs6,399.84 million was approved in the meeting.
A project related to Science & Technology namely “Pakistan Research Reactor-3” worth Rs4,671.050 million was approved by the CDWP. Another project of Science & Technology was “Establishment of Campus, National University of Technology (NUTECH) Islamabad” worth Rs2,878.610 was also got approval in the meeting.
Three projects related to Health were presented in the meeting. First project titled “Strengthening and up-gradation of the Nursing and Midwifery sub sector within the health sector in Pakistan” worth Rs27,908.545 million was recommended to Ecnec. Second project of was “Establishment of Safe Blood Transfusion Service Project Phase-11” worth Rs863.367 approved in the meeting. Third project “Establishment of Medical Device Development Canter at National University of Science & Technology (NUST) Islamabad” worth Rs331.12 were also approved by CDWP.
A project related to Water & Resources titled “National Programme for Enhancing Command area in Barani areas of Pakistan” worth Rs27,526.369 million was recommended to Ecnec.