Govt seeking additional Rs15 bn for ongoing projects

ISLAMABAD: Keeping in view the electioneering year, the government has sought approval for an additional Rs15 billion from the National Economic Council (NEC) for completing ongoing over two dozen development projects including Gomal Zam Dam, Khuram Tangi Dam and acquisition of 3.2 acres for the construction of Session Division East of Islamabad High Court prior to completion of government tenure.

The NEC is scheduled to meet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday.

According to the official summary sent to the PM Secretariat, the government is intended to seek approval for Rs15 billion funds for the completion of 27 ongoing development schemes.

The details of required funding available with The News disclosed that the total approved cost of these 27 projects stood at Rs90.574 billion out of which the spending had touched Rs 47.676 billion till June 30, 2017. The government had allocated Rs8.996 billion for 2017-18 and an additional Rs15 billion were required to complete the projects during the current fiscal year ending on June 30, 2018.

The government has tagged the project titled Renovation/Rehabilitation of Physical Infrastructure of 200 Education Institutions under the PM Education Sector Reforms Project in ICT as a priority project and its completion required an additional Rs 845 million. For the completion of Mohmand Dam (detailed engineering design) in Mohmand Agency, the additional funding requirement stands at Rs666 million. For water distribution network in Rawalpindi including Rawalpindi Cantonment Board and Chaklala Cantonment Board based on Khanpur Dam water source (phase-III), the additional funding requirement stands at Rs58.197 million.

For a power distribution enhancement project (tranche-ii) and rehabilitation of capacitor installation and energy efficiency at FESCO funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the additional funding requirement is Rs 94 million. For the completion of Khurram Tangi Dam, the additional funding requirement is Rs 4 billion. For the improvement of record preservation, archives management infrastructure and research documentation, the additional funding requirement stands at Rs4.2 million. For a bridge over the Indus River linking with N-5 and N-55 at Nishtar Ghat, the additional funding requirement is Rs2.5 billion. For a water supply scheme in Charar Sharif Shahpur Sargodha Rs12.672 million, for widening of road Gilwala to Ghuman Wala to Baigpur Gujranwala Rs40.332 million, for rehabilitation of Chamba House Lahore Rs6.208 million, for Helpline for Legal Advice on Human Rights Violations Islamabad Rs11.3 million; for Establishment of Digitized Archive Library NAG Islamabad Rs2.5 million, for establishment of National Film Academy Rs 35 million, for strengthening of ICT Infrastructure and Automation of President Secretariat Rs25.370 million, for construction of Sports Complex Narowal Rs467.401 million, for acquisition of 3.2 acres for the construction of Session Division of Islamabad High Court Rs193.960 million, for Aqua Feed Production in Pakistan Rs8 million, for construction of an auditorium at Pakistan Academy of Letters at H-8/4 Islamabad Rs 24.352 million, for procurement of 585 Hopper Wagons and 20 bogie brake vans for coal transmission Rs519 million, for special repair of 800 coaches and 2,000 wagons of Pakistan Railways Rs270 million, for construction of Nahqi Tunnel Mohmand Agency Rs8.1 million, for power distribution enhancement projects at GEPCO and FESCO Rs283 million and 1759 million, respectively, for a power distribution project of FESCO Rs318 million, for Dawarat Dam and Jamshoro Dam Sindh Rs2 billion and for Gomal Zam Dam Rs800 million are required.