PC to initiate construction of two dams in Balochistan

* CDWP likely to recommend 39 projects worth Rs 133.395bn

ISLAMABAD: The Planning Commission is to initiate the construction of two small dams in Balochistan, worth Rs 4.791 billion, in line with the agenda of the policy speech of Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani.

The construction of these two dams is presented in the agenda of Central Development Working Party (CDWP) that is to be held on 26th of this month. The two projects are; ‘Construction of Shadi Kaur storage dam, Pasni Gwadar worth Rs 2.637 billion’ and ‘Construction of 100 Delay Action Dams in Balochistan worth Rs 2.154 billion’.

After taking the vote of confidence in the national assembly, the PM announced that more power generation projects would be initiated on priority basis so as to over come the power deficiency in the country.

Apart from these two projects in Balochistan, official in the Planning Commission told Daily Times here on Saturday that construction of 2 to 3 small dams in Punjab, NWFP and Sindh are in pipeline and expected to present these projects in next CDWP meeting. The official said, “purpose of these small dams to meet power shortfall about 3,000MW at present and also to ensure smooth supply of power to industrial units.”

The CWDP is likely to recommend and take up 39 developmental projects worth Rs 133.395 billions including with foreign exchange component (FEC) worth Rs 64.521 billion. The projects are; agriculture and food, forestry & wildlife, water resources, energy, health, physical planning and housing (PP&H), industry and commerce, education, manpower, devolution and area development, governance, information technology and higher education commission (HEC).

The CDWP can only approve projects costing up to Rs 500 million and the projects costing above this limit must be approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). The CDWP agenda, obtained by Daily Times, shows that the Agriculture and Food sector consists of five projects worth Rs 2.637 billion including Rs 99.047 million as FEC. The Forestry & Wildlife has single project, namely “Mangla Watershed Management” worth Rs 319.750 million.

The agenda shows six projects for water resources sector with total cost of Rs 15.966 billion with FEC Rs 3.286 billion.

The Energy sector consists of four projects worth Rs 60.711 billion including Rs 37.368 billion as FEC.

The health sector has only one project, namely ‘Roll Back Malaria (RBM) in Pakistan’ worth Rs 664.707 million.

The physical planning and housing sector has five projects worth Rs 5.091 billion having Rs 2.829 billion as FEC. Industry and Commerce sector has three projects worth Rs 1.817 billion having Rs 555.24 million as FEC.

The education sector has just one project namely, ‘establishment of government training courses under prime minister’s special initiatives’ worth Rs 237.951 million.

Manpower sector has two projects worth Rs 579.78 million and the devolution and area development sector consists of three projects worth Rs 18.676 billion having Rs 2.933 billion as FEC.

The Governance sector consists of four projects worth Rs 6.856 billion with Rs 312.70 million as FEC.

The Information Technology sector has two projects worth Rs 19.307 billion having Rs 17.136 billion as FEC while Higher Education Commission (HEC) has two projects worth Rs 528.79 billion. ijaz kakakhel

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