‘Work on 60 donor-funded schemes in progress’

PESHAWAR: Work is in progress on 60 different development schemes worth Rs687 billion under the external economic assistance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for which Rs89 billion have been allocated in the Annual Development Programme of the current fiscal year, a meeting was told here on Wednesday.

The meeting to review the progress on donor-funded projects was held here with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair. The schemes include Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cities Improvement Project, 300 MW Balakot Hydropower Project, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hydropower and Renewable Energy Development Programme and other important development projects in various sectors, said a handout.

The participants were told that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cities Improvement Project has been approved by Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC). It was also informed that the ECNEC has also cleared the PC-I of Balakot Hydropower Project and bids has been advertised for its first package.

It was further informed that under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Roads Improvement Project, seven roads in different districts had been completed whereas work on two of them was in progress. Similarly, under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development Project, a master plan has been approved to establish four tourism zones at the different sites of the province.

Besides, feasibility study of the Kumrat Cable Car Project was also completed. They were also told that 50 percent work on dualisation of Swabi-Mardan Road has been completed, adding that Expression of Interest (EoI) has also been finalised for Supervisory Consultant of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Irrigated Agriculture Improvement Project. Under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hydropower and Renewable Energy Programme, land acquisition for the 88 MW Kalam-Gabral Hydropower Project was underway.

The forum was further informed that work on other development projects including Digital Jobs for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Project was in progress as per stipulated timelines.