CDWP passes 19 projects worth Rs142.3bn in one day

ISLAMABAD: The government is pressing ahead with its agenda to squeeze as many projects as possible into the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2022-23, as Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Monday cleared 19 schemes worth Rs142.3 billion, mostly to ‘favour’ political allies.

The CDWP also recommended six other projects to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval. The cleared projects are related to the Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Water Resources, Power Division, Higher Education Commission (HEC), and Ministry of Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination, during its second last meeting of the ongoing fiscal year.

The meeting was chaired by Secretary of Planning Development & Special Initiatives Syed Zafar Ali Shah and was attended by Secretary Ministry of Water Resources, Secretary Ministry of Communication, Chairman National Highway Authority, NHA, Members Planning Commission and other key stakeholders.

This meeting was rescheduled a couple of times and finally, it was held on Monday. The cleared projects included the construction of 2nd Circuit Stringing of 132KV transmission line from Jiwani to Gwadar(94km) at the cost of Rs2,322.940 million, Strengthening Common Management Unit for AIDS, TB, Malaria, and Accelerating Response to control the three disease in Pakistan at the cost of Rs3,014.128 million, National Health Support Project for Ensuring Universal Health Coverage in Federating Area at the cost of Rs2,575.631 million, and Establishment of National Cyber Security Academy at the cost of Rs600 million.

Other projects were Centre for Advanced Studies in Physics at Government College University, Lahore at the cost of Rs699.85 million, Establishment of University of North Waziristan Tribal District at the cost of Rs2,000 million, and Strengthening of KBCMA CVAS at the cost of Rs2,650.00 million.

The CDWP also gave go-ahead to Establishment of Film Institute at PTVC Academy at the cost of Rs400 million, LEU based Mo 99 Production Facility at the cost of Rs1,325 million, Conversion of Braking System of 328 Nos MBFRs from Vacuum Brake to Air Brake System at the cost of Rs676 million, and Compensation and Relocation of Utilities of existing N-35 in Abbottabad City at the cost of Rs8,323.750 million.

Meanwhile the meeting also approved Improvement of Road from Rohri to Guddu Barrage at M-5 Interchange Sadiqabad via Khanpur Mahar, Mirpur Mathelo & Mureed Shakh at the cost of Rs6,342 million, and Land Acquisition of Building, Dualisation of Tando Allajyar to Tando Adam Raod (31.40km) at the cost of Rs3,899.735 million.

The six projects that were recommended to ECNEC included Construction of Muzaffarabad-Mansehra Road (26.6km) at the cost of Rs44,720.00 million, Construction of Mini Sports Complexes in 250 districts at the cost of Rs12,000.00 million and Establishment & Upgrading of 250 Vocational Training Institutes across Pakistan at the cost of Rs12,609.00 million and Construction of New Bridge with Approach Roads between Sukkur-Rohri over Indus River at the cost of Rs10,279.029 million, Construction of Sharda-Noori Top-Jalkhad SNJ Road (50.352km) at the cost of Rs16,320 million, Land Acquisition, Affected Properties & Compensation for Rajanpur-DG Khan Section as 4-Lane Highway 7 Dulisation, Rehabilitation of DG Khan-DI Khan of N-55(329.7KM) at the cost of Rs11,577.33 million.

The Establishment of University of North Waziristan Tribal District at the cost of Rs2,000 million was approved which is the landmark decision for the students of FATA.

During the meeting, Secretary PD&SI observed that approval of Establishment of North Waziristan University as a major landmark as it will be a great blessing and opportunity for the youth of merged areas.

The feasibility study for the Metro Bus route in Quetta was considered and the Government of Balochistan was directed to coordinate with Punjab Mass Transit Authority for the said study till the next CDWP to be held on June 29, 2022.