CDWP clears Rs25.5bln Karachi water supply project

ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Tuesday recommended Rs25.5 billion of Karachi water supply project to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for final approval, while approving three projects worth Rs5.5 billion.

The CDWP took the decisions during a meeting presided over by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Jehanzeb Khan. Senior officials from Planning Commission and federal ministries/divisions participated in the meeting while representatives from provincial governments participated through video conference.

Two projects related to physical planning and housing were presented in the meeting. First project namely “greater Karachi water supply scheme (K-IV) 260 MGD (phase-1)” worth Rs25.5 billion was referred to Ecnec for approval. The K-IV designed with the total capacity of 650 million gallons per day to meet the demand of 18.5 million inhabitants of Karachi City. The project being executed by Sindh has faced extraordinary delay in execution. The provincial government was requested to change the executing agency.

Khan said there is a severe water shortage in Karachi and therefore the project needs to be carried out on a fast track and all the agencies involved are committed to fast track/ prioritising the project.

Projects related to governance, physical planning and housing, education and science and technology were presented in the meeting.

A project related to governance section presented in the meeting for extension in implementation period of “young development fellows (2nd revision)” worth Rs133 million was approved by the CDWP. The program aims to groom talented young women and men with distinguished academic background and potential for leadership. This program will enhance the capacity of young Pakistanis in the area relevant to Planning Commission such as development, strategic planning, performance management and evaluation, project management, energy, public policy formulation and development communications.

Another project titled “provision of clean drinking water in Lahore” worth Rs1.7 billion was approved. A project related to education namely “renovation/ rehabilitation of physical infrastructure of 200 educational institutions (phase-II)” worth Rs3.7 billion was also approved. The revised project envisaged construction of 237 classrooms, repainting/renovation of infrastructure, repair of floors, rising of boundary wall, provision of concertina with barbed wire, and construction of water tank. The objective of the project is to provide better infrastructure of public institutions, to provide a conducive and better environment and to provide missing facilities in Islamabad schools. A concept clearance paper presented by government of Punjab namely “revamping of water supply and sewerage facilities” worth Rs4 billion was cleared by the concept clearance committee. The sponsoring agency will be Japan International Cooperation Agency and the executing agency will be Water and Sanitation Agency and Multan Development Authority.