Approximately 26 development projects were cleared by the Central Development Working Authority (CDWP) which are said to be costing a total of 900 billion rupees. Out of these projects, 17 of them were approved costing Rs33 billion while 9 projects of Rs867 billion were recommended to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval.
This happened during a meeting of CDWP with planning Commission Deputy Chairman Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan recently at P-Block secretariat.
The projects related to the energy sector included (i) Supply of gas to Localities falling within 5km radius of villages/localities of gas producing fields-SSGCL” worth Rs1,093.439 million which was approved (ii) 500 kV Matiari–Moro-Rahim Yar Khan Transmission Line worth Rs188.5633 billion was recommended to the ECNEC for further consideration.
The projects related to transport and communication included (i) Land for Realignment of KKH from Takhot to Railkot due to Construction of Hydro Dams on the River Indus, KKH Phase-II worth Rs4,133.930 million (ii) Gwadar Blue Economy worth Rs1,500 million (iii) Land Acquisition as per Gawdar Master plan 750 Acres at Gwadar Junubi worth Rs3,920 million, these three were approved by the CDWP.
(iv) Revised PC-1 Construction of Lahore ~ Sahiwal ~ Bahawalnagar Motorway (Length: 295 Km) (Revised) worth Rs435.721 billion (v) Construction of Chakdara-Chitral Road Project N-45 Section IIIK Kalkatak Chitral” worth Rs10.961 billion (vi) Electrical and mechanical works, allied buildings and bridges of access roads of Lowari tunnel project” worth Rs37.257 billion (vii) Feasibility/cost estimate for dualization of Sialkot-Eminabad Road up to Kamoke including link to motorway, length 65.10 km in district Sialkot” worth Rs10.688 billion (viii) Construction of Border Terminal at Pak-Afghanistan Border Badini with B/T Road from Obashtai to Khan Dagar Main Badani Road (Length 40km) District Killa Saifullah, Balochistan” worth Rs24.945 billion. The latter mentioned projects were recommended to the ECNEC for further consideration.
The other major projects that were discussed during the meeting included provision of Hostel facilities for 160 Female students and PM’s Youth Internship Program from the Higher Education sector, Revamping of PTVC, upgrading and replacement of 100 KW Medium Wave Transmission at HPT Quetta Balochistan from the Mass Media sector, Quaid-i-Azam Health Tower Islamabad from the Health sector and the “Invest Pakistan” project from the Industrial and Commerce sector.
The meeting was attended by Planning Secretary Awais Manzur Sumra, Additional Secretary Planning, Members of the Planning Commission, JCE (Ops), JCE (Ep), as well as respective federal secretaries and representatives from federal ministries and provincial governments.
