ECNEC okays Rs325 bln for road construction, reservoirs projects

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Thursday approved nearly Rs325 billion for infrastructure development, including construction of roads and water reservoirs projects.

Ecnec took the decisions during a meeting presided over by finance minister Hafeez Shaikh.

The Ecnec approved the greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme (K-IV) 260 MGD (Phase-I) to provide additional 650 MGD water to meet the demand of the city. The total cost of the project will be Rs25,551.77 million which will be shared on a 50:50 percent basis by the federal government and the government of Sindh respectively.

The committee approved Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Human Capital Investment Project funded by the World Bank - IDA with a cost of Rs13,260 million.

The project envisages to improve availability, utilization and quality of primary healthcare facilities in four districts of KPK and would cover local population of about 8.4 million and 500,000 refugee population.

The KP Government would ensure viability and sustainability of the proposed project in the long-run.

The Ecnec also approved construction of additional 2-lanes and widening/rehabilitation of existing 2-lane carriageway of Shikarpur-Rajanpur section of Indus Highway N-55 to be executed by the National Highway Authority (NHA).

The project would be sponsored by the communications ministry and ADB with the total cost of Rs.44,703.890 million including Rs4470.390 of government share and Rs.40,233.50 of ADB financing.

Similarly Ecnec approved construction of 69 km long (04-lane) Sambrial-Kharian Motorway. The motorway would be constructed on BOT basis at the total cost of Rs.43,382.552 million.

Ecnec approved the Sindh Resilience Project (Irrigation Component) for construction of small dams to address drought prone areas of Sindh including system for improving resilience phase-II in districts of Malir, Jamshoro, Thatta, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sukkar, Khairpur, Qambar-Shahdad Kot and Tharparkar. The source of funding includes share of Sindh government equal to $11.50 million (7.5pc) and loan from the World Bank equal to $141.51 million (92.5pct) with the total cost of the project amounting to $153.01 million.

Likewise, Ecnec also approved a Balochistan Integrated Water Resources Management and Development Project (BIWRMDP). The project will increase the agricultural production, generate employment opportunities and develop agro-based industry through Integrated Water Resource Management across 11 districts in the Balochistan province. The proposed project is funded by the World Bank – IDA (up to 96pct) at a cost of Rs14,747.74 million. The project is expected to be completed in six years.

Ecnec approved another project in the water sector in Balochistan province titled “Basol Dam Project” on the Basol River. The cost of project was estimated at Rs18,679.89 million. Ecnec approved the Nai Gaj Dam Project (2nd revised PC-I) for District Dadu, Sindh Province at the cost of Rs46,980.35 million. Establishment of 48MW Jagran Hydropower

Station (Phase-II) at District Neelum, AJK was also approved by ECNEC at a revised cost of Rs11, 372.135 million. The “Sindh Resilience Project (PDMA Component)” was approved at the total revised cost of Rs15,309.14 million. The proposed project will contribute to overall needs for enhancing resilience to natural disasters including public health emergencies in the Sindh province as the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the requirement for integrating health services with disaster management.

The Ecnec also approved the “Gwadar – Lasbela Livelihood Support Project, Phase-II” (GLLSP-II) to cover all 45 Union Councils in Gwadar and Lasbella Districts of Balochistan for community development and fisheries value chain development. The total cost of the project will be Rs.12,328.549 million.

The Locust Emergency and Food security Project (LEAFS) to respond to food security threats caused by locust in different districts across four Provinces was approved by Ecnec at the total cost of Rs31,630.60 million provided by the World Bank.