CDWP meeting: Four projects of Rs16.02b okayed

ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Wednesday approved four projects of Rs16.02 billion and recommended one more project of Rs37.91 billion to the ECNEC for consideration as agreed on the Covid-19 responsive and other natural calamities control programs of worth Rs70 billion.

A project related to the physical planning & housing titled “Construction of Islamabad High Court Building at Islamabad (Revised)” at the cost of Rs4,989.26 million was approved that aims at the construction of Islamabad High Court on an already acquired plot measuring 220,000 square feet in Sector G-5, Islamabad. The scope of works includes construction of courts, auditorium, car parking, road/paths, plumbing works and wood works, etc.

Reports said the CDWP agreed with the recommendations of the committee for the project titled “Covid-19 Responsive and other Natural Calamities Control Programmes” of Rs70 billion with proposed changes. The PC-1 of the project will facilitate the national programme to improve facilities at 50:50 basis financial support to all district headquarters/tehsil headquarter level hospitals, and public health surveillances separately for both, human and animals. AJK and GB will also be covered under the project.

The objective of the project is to provide alternate path for international connectivity through northern border of Pakistan with China to provide continuous uninterrupted connectivity between northern and southern borders of the country by establishing multiple rings for secure and uninterrupted communication network. The second project namely “Establishment of National Aerospace Science & Technology Park” of Rs3,481.584 million worth was also approved.

Two position papers related to industries & commerce approved namely “Establishment of Hub Special Economic Zone” of Rs,2287.844 million worth and “Remodeling and Expansion of Karachi Expo Center” at the cost of Rs2,677.42 million. Another position paper related to water resources presented namely Nai Gaj Dam of worth Rs46,555.29 million that envisages the construction of 194-foot high central core earth filled dam with gross storage capacity of 0.30 million acre-feet and live storage of 0.16 MAF to irrigate 28,800 acres of land. Two projects related to education were presented in the meeting, including one namely “Support to Basic Education Development Project for AJ&K” of Rs5,971.55 million worth and the other project “Basic Education for all Projects of AJ&K” Rs1,580.201 million worth were approved by CDWP. Another project related to the information technology was presented i.e. “Phase-II of Pak-China OFC Project for Establishment of Cross Border OFC Network (Khunjrab-Gwadar-Karachi) along with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Routes” worth Rs37,915.899 million to the ECNEC for further approval.

The CDWP had approved two more concept clearance proposals namely “Electricity Distribution Efficiency Improvement Project” of Rs375.73 million and “Establishment of Pak-Korea Nutrition Centre to Improve Child and Community Nutrition” of Rs1,464.210 million. Meanwhile, the CDWP meeting was chaired by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan, while Additional Secretary Planning, Abdul Aziz Uqaili, senior officials from the Planning Commission, and federal ministries/divisions attended the meeting and representatives from the provinces participated through video conference.