CDWP approves Rs23bn development projects

ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) Wednesday approved seven development projects worth Rs23 billion and recommended four projects to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for consideration.

Among the recommended projects, three are worth Rs82.24 billion, while the fourth project, ML-1, is recommended with a cost of $6.7 billion. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan chaired a CDWP meeting that was attended by the planning secretary, additional secretary and other Planning Commission officials, as well as representatives from federal ministries and provincial governments. Three projects related to the Transport & Communications sector were presented in the meeting. The first Project presented “Re-Modified PC-1 for upgradation of Pakistan Railways existing Main Line (ML-1) and establishment of Dry Port near Havelian” with the cost of $6.7 billion was recommended to Ecnec for further consideration. A project related to Information Technology namely “Establishment of Deep Space Astronomical Observatories in Pakistan” worth Rs5.338 billion approved by the CDWP was presented in the meeting. The second project of the Transport & Communication sector presented in the meeting was “Construction of Rathoua Haryam Bridge Across Reservoir Channel on Mirpur Islamgarh Road” worth Rs9.239 billion was recommended to Ecnec for further consideration. The third project was “Construction of Muzaffarabad-Mansehra Expressway” worth Rs58 billion was recommended to Ecnec for further consideration. The Phase 1 of the Project is to be financed through Saudi funds for development. The Phase 2 of the project will be arranged for the balance portion. A project named “Establishment of Danish Schools in Azad Jammu Kashmir (Muzaffarabad, Poonch & Bagh) & Gilgit-Baltistan (Gilgit, Skardu & Astore)” Rs14.927 billion was recommended to Ecnec for further consideration. Three projects namely “Establishment of AJK Women University Bagh, AJK” worth Rs1,795.273 million, the second project presented namely “Provision of Academic and Research Facilities Air University Islamabad (Revised)” worth Rs2.188.342 billion and “Development of Sindh Madrasatul Islam University Campus at Education City, Malir Karachi” worth Rs2.852 billion were approved by the forum.