The Central Development Working Party (CDWP), chaired by Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, cleared seven development projects worth Rs104 billion on Wednesday, approving four ventures worth Rs8 billion outright and referring three major infrastructure projects costing Rs96 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for final approval.
The meeting, attended by Secretary Planning Awais Manzur Sumra, provincial planning heads, federal secretaries, and senior officials, focused on projects spanning industries and production, information technology, and transport and communications. Direct approvals included two industrial projects: the Rs1,950 million “1,000 Industrial Stitching Units (Phase-II)” and the Rs1,250 million “Acquisition of Land for Establishment of SME Facilitation Centres at Various Locations”. In a significant technological leap, the CDWP also greenlit two IT projects: the Rs2,535 million “Development of Pakistan Lunar Exploration Rover (PLExR) for Chang’E-8 Mission” and the Rs2,243.20 million “Pakistan Manned Space Mission”.
Meanwhile, three critical transport and communication projects were recommended to Ecnec due to their scale and revised costs. These include the Rs36,910.449 million “Improvement of Road from Sanghar to National Highway N-5 at Point Rohri via Mundh Jamrao and Saleput (221.00 kms)”, a vital but deteriorated corridor linking Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Khairpur, and Sukkur, crucial for Thar coal transport. Also referred were the Rs41,034.440 million “Construction of Additional Carriageway along Mehran Highway from Nawabshah to Ranipur (135.0 Kms)”, involving dualisation and extensive upgrades, and the Rs17,971.360 million “Improvement of Road from Rohri to Guddu Barrage @ M-5 Interchange Sadiqabad via Khanpur Mahar, Mirpur Mathelo & Mureed Shakh (150.00 Kms)”, expected to boost connectivity in northern Sindh.
During the transport sector review, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Ahsan Iqbal directed the Member Infrastructure to conduct a thorough analysis of federal and provincial construction schedule rates, emphasizing the need to notify new rates aligned with current market prices. Iqbal underscored this review as essential for ensuring cost-efficiency and fiscal responsibility in the nation’s infrastructure development drive.
