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CDWP approves 20 development projects worth Rs80.6 billion

By Mehtab Haider
January 16, 2018

ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Monday approved 20 projects worth Rs80.6 billion and of which five projects with an estimated cost of Rs60.9 billion were referred to Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) for further approval.

Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Sartaj Aziz headed the CDWP’s meeting. The projects presented for approval were from energy, transport and communications, physical planning and housing, science and technology, governance, devolution and area development, industries and commerce, health and mass media sectors.

In energy sector, a project of 220 kilovolt (kV) Mastung substation along with 220kV Sibbi-Mastung-Quetta-Loralai double circuit transmission lines worth Rs14.143 billion was referred to ECNEC for further approval. The main objective of the project is to upgrade the existing 132kV Mastung grid station to 220kV level along with associated transmission lines to meet the additional load demand and improve voltage profile of Quetta Electric Supply Company.

CDWP also approved four projects in transport and communication and out of which one was referred to ECNEC for approval. The projects include land acquisition, compensation for affected properties and relocation of utilities for Karakoram highway phase-2 China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (Thakot- Havelian) project of 119.681 kilometres, reconstruction of Manghopir road from Jam Chakro to Banaras (8.10km), construction of flyover and Sakhi Hassan-Five Star-and KDA roundabout along Sher Shah Suri road Karachi. Reconstruction of Nishtar road from Teen Hatti to Napier and Manghopir road from Banaras to Nishter road Karachi was also approved.

CDWP, the clearing house for approval of development projects, approved a reverse osmosis sea water plant of five million gallons per day (MGD) for Gwadar city. The project is expected to meet the city’s future fresh water needs, which are expected to reach 10 MGD by 2020.

In industries and commerce unit, procurement of three machines of modernisation of survey of Pakistan and 1,000 industrial stitching units with estimated costs Rs373.9 and Rs. 350.5 million, respectively, were approved.

CDWP also approved assessment and competition regime project worth Rs157 million in governance sector. This will also bring improvement in working of the Competition Commission of Pakistan, which provides legal framework to create a business environment based on healthy competition to improve economic efficiency, develop competitiveness and protecting consumers from anti-competitive practices.

In devolution and area development, Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Project worth Rs7.6 billion was referred to ECNEC. The project’s objective is to contribute to reduction of poverty in southern Punjab region. The project is expected to increase incomes of poor households by increasing agriculture productivity and improving livelihood opportunities, community physical infrastructure and level of skills through vocational trainings especially for women.

In science and technology section, six projects were approved and out of which one project worth Rs20.9 billion was referred to ECNEC. The projects include overseas scholarships for doctorate of philosophy (Ph.D.) in selected fields. The project envisages Ph.D. level training of 2,000 talented candidates in selected fields to meet the faculty requirement of the already established and new skills.

In addition, CDWP also approved five projects, including establishment of college of nursing and strengthening of community medicine department at Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women Nawabshah, upgradation of synthetic fibre development and application centre and plastic technology centre Karachi as a sub-campus of National Textile University and establishment of women campus of Kohat University of Science and Technology in Kohat and establishment of Institute of Science and Technology Bahawalpur.

In health section, three projects were discussed and approved. They included maternal new born and child health programs.

CDWP also approved strengthening of sports infrastructure with a cost of Rs2.9 billion. The project envisages to upgrade and strengthening of existing sports infrastructure in the country by replacement/provision/up-gradation of various sports facilities in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Narowal.