The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved multiple projects in its recent meeting presided over by Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin. The projects are worth approximately Rs312bn.
ECNEC has approved the dualization of Lilla Interchange (M-2) via Pind-Dadan Khan to Jhelum including Bypass (02 number) 128 km, at the total rationalised cost of Rs12.760 billion. The scope of work for the project includes construction of two bypasses, bridges over nullahs, culverts and retaining/breast/toe walls. The project will be completed in the next three years.
The meeting has also approved the reconstruction of Turbat-Mand Road from M-8 till Iranian Border-Radeeq, at a total cost of Rs10.461 billion. The length of the road will be 115 km. The project is expected to be completed in two years.
The meeting has also approved construction of Panjgur-Gichak-Awaran Road, District Panjgur/Awaran, 228 km project at the rationalised cost of Rs14.68 billion after deleting the security cost and land acquisition cost.
The Dualization of Khuzdar-Kuchlak Section of National Highway (N-25), 330.52 km project was approved at PC-I cost of Rs81.582 billion. The project will be constructed through districts Khuzdar, Surab, Kalat, Mustang, Quetta, and Kuchlak, Balochistan. The National Highways Authority (NHA) will be the executing agency.
Road projects for Kashmir and Gilgit baltistan were also approved during the meeting. The Inter-Provincial Connectivity Economic Corridor has also been approved which is aligned through Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK (Thallichi GB-Shounter AJK), widening and rehabilitation of Astore Valley Road. The package has been approved at a rationalised cost of Rs19.195 billion. The Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan is the sponsoring agency of the project, which is expected to be completed in three years. Moreover ECNEC also approved construction of Shandoor-Gilgit Road, 216 km project at the PC-I cost of Rs49.946 billion. The project road is located in Gilgit-Baltistan and will be executed by the NHA.
During the meeting ECNEC also approved water conservation projects. Gish Kaur Storage Dam, Sami Kallag, District Kech Project was approved at the total cost of Rs11.789 billion which is expected to be completed in 2025. The dam will have the storage capacity of 0.04580 million acre feet (MAF) and will provide irrigation facility to 13,800 acres of command area. The project is expected to complete by 2025.
The construction of Panjgoor Storage Dam Project was also approved at the total cost of Rs12.870 billion. The Ministry of Water Resources will sponsor the project which is located on Rakhshan River. The Awaran Dam Project was also approved at the total cost of Rs14.86 billion.
The establishment of University of Applied Engineering and Emerging Technologies (UAEET), Sialkot, Punjab was approved at the total cost of Rs16.648 billion and will be financed through ADP 2021-22 of the Government of Punjab. The ECNEC also approved, in principle, Pak University of Engineering and Emerging Technologies (PUEET) Phase-I at the total cost of Rs23.551 billion.
The establishment of IT Park, Karachi, was also approved by the ECNEC at the total cost of Rs31.199 billion. The project will be executed by the Pakistan Software Export Board.
