ECNEC okays Rs410bln for road construction, hydropower projects

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Thursday approved Rs410 billion for infrastructure development, including construction of roads and hydropower projects.

Ecnec took the decisions during a meeting presided over by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Hafeez Shaikh.

The committee approved construction of additional carriageway project (Shikarpur-Rajanpur section) on Indus Highway at a rationalised cost of Rs44.703 billion. The Asian Development Bank will share the cost of Rs40.233 billion. The project, which will be completed in 3 years time, envisages construction of additional 2-lanes and widening/ rehabilitation of existing 2-lane carriageway. The total length is 221.9 kilometers that will be upgraded to a 4 lane dual carriageway facility with each lane 3.65 meter wide. The government earmarked Rs1 billion for the completion of the project in public sector development program of 2020/21.

The Ecnec approved construction of Rajanpur-DG Khan section of N-55 as 4 lane highway with 9,121 kilometers at a total cost of Rs33.2 billion with ADB share of Rs28.5 billion. The project will be completed in 3 years. The project road starts from Rajanpur and passes through Fazilpur, Muhammad Pur Dewan, Jampur and terminates at Dera Ghazi Khan. Total Rs500 million was allocated under PSDP 2020/21.

The committee also approved dualisation and rehabilitation of DG Khan-DI Khan section of N-55 with 208.19 kilometers at the cost of Rs.52.3 billion with ADB share of Rs44.9 billion. The project will also be completed in 3 years. The government allocated Rs500 million for the project under the 2020/21 PSDP. The Ecnec approved rehabilitation and upgradation of 79.8km Jhaljao- Bela Road at the total cost of Rs11.1 billion without any foreign exchange component. The project road starts from Jhaljao and terminates at Bela in district Awaran.

The committee also okayed Rs21.3 billion for Peshawar northern bypass project. The project envisages construction of 32.2km, 4-lane bypass with service roads on either side, on the northern side of Peshawar city. All the projects will be completed by the National Highway Authority.

The committee also approved construction of 157 megawatts of Madian hydropower project in district Swat, under the World Bank-assisted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa hydropower and renewable energy development program, at a cost of Rs79.4 billion. Construction of 88 MW of Gabral Kalam hydropower project at an estimated cost of Rs36.4 billion with foreign exchange component of Rs 8.8 billion was also approved.

The Ecnec also approved the evacuation of power from 2,160 MW Dasu stage-I to Islamabad via Mansehra at the total cost of Rs132 billion with foreign exchange component of Rs112 billion. The project is expected to complete in 5 years time and is proposed to be financed by the World Bank. The main objective of the project is the evacuation of power by construction of 765 kilovolt double circuit transmission line.

Ecnec also approved in principle the locust emergency and food security project. The World Bank will provide $200 million for the project.

The committee further approved the simplification of planning commission/ planning division development processes/ procedure to improve project management.

According to the new procedures, reforms are needed in project identification and preparation, processing and approval of PC I, project management and staffing, opening of project assignment account, procedure for release of funds, and monitoring and evaluation.