A meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) presided over by the Minister for Finance and Revenue, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has approved several projects related to water conservation, IT and road development.
ECNEC has approved the Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme (K-IV) 260 MGD (phase-1) at a cost of Rs25.551 billion. The project would provide additional 260 MGD water to Karachi.
The project for the “Construction of 100 Dams in Balochistan- Package IV (23 Dams)”has also been approved by ECNEC at a total cost of Rs13.512 billion. Expected time of completion is three year. The project is designed to harness flood flows for direct irrigation, ground water recharge and agricultural development through construction of small dams throughout the province.
ECNEC has also approved Phase-II of the “Pak-China Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) Project for Establishment of Cross-Border OFC Network (Khunjerab-Karachi) Along CPEC Routes” at total cost of Rs37.915 billion.The project will provide an alternate path for international connectivity through northern border of Pakistan.
In the sector of road infrastructure development the ECNEC has approved the project for “Dualization and Improvement of Old Bannu Road” at a total cost of Rs17.230 billion from federal PSDP (2020-21).The project envisages dualization of existing 02-lane old Bannu road measuring 83 km in length from Gaandi Chowk to Sarai Naurang (8km) and Domail to Krapa on N-55 (75km) to four lanes with 7.3m wide carriageway on either side.
The ECNEC considered and approved a summary regarding construction of Gwadar-Ratodero Road Project (M-8) sponsored by the Ministry of Communication and executed by the NHA at a rationalised cost of Rs38.026 billion.
