CDWP approves Rs40bln projects

ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Thursday approved nine projects worth Rs40 billion and recommended two mega projects worth Rs55.5 billion to the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) for consideration.

CDWP approved the projects during a meeting presided over by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Jehanzeb Khan. Senior officials from federal and provincial governments were also present in the meeting.

Projects related to energy, science and technology, health and water resources were presented at the meeting, an official statement said. Five of them were related to energy sector.

CDWP approved the project ‘establishment of regional grid in Gilgit- Baltistan phase-1’ with an estimated cost of Rs4.959 billion. Another project ‘220 kilovolt Nawab Shah substation’ worth Rs6.291 billion was also approved at the meeting. The meeting approved a project ‘220 kilovolt Larkana new substations’ worth Rs6.449 billion. Another energy project that was approved was ‘procurement of 220 kilovolt Mibile grid station along with the emergency recovery of system and 500 kilovolt shunt reactors for emergency services’ worth Rs6.978 billion. A project ‘220 kilovolt Swabi substation’ worth Rs6.399 billion was approved at the meeting.

CDWP further approved a science and technology project, namely ‘Pakistan research reactor-3’ worth Rs4.671 billion. Another project in the field ‘establishment of campus at National University of Technology Islamabad’ worth Rs2.878 billion was also approved.

Three projects related to health sector were presented during the meeting. A project titled, ‘strengthening and up-gradation of the nursing and midwifery subsector within the health sector in Pakistan’ worth Rs27.908 billion was recommended to the Ecnec. Second project ‘establishment of safe blood transfusion service project phase-11’ worth Rs863.367 million was approved in the meeting. CDWP approved another project ‘establishment of medical device development centre at National University of Science and Technology Islamabad’ worth Rs331.12 million. CDWP recommended a project related to water and resources titled ‘national program for enhancing command area in Barani areas of Pakistan’ worth Rs27.526 billion to the Ecnec.