CDWP takes up 30 projects worth Rs 26.96b today

By Khalid Mustafa

ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Thursday will take up the approval of 30 projects worth Rs 26.96 billion at a meeting headed by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Dr Ikram Sheikh.

CDWP has the mandate to approve projects worth below Rs 200 million, recommending projects worth more than Rs 200 million to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval.

“In transport and communication, the CDWP meeting will take up three projects worth Rs 9.09 billion and is likely to send them to ECNEC for approval. These consist of the Lowari Tunnel and Access Roads project worth Rs 7.98 billion, 11.5-kilometre railway track between Chaman and Spinboldak (Afghanistan) worth Rs 417.4 million and the Chenab river bridge at Chund worth Rs 696.6 million. “In energy, the CDWP meeting is likely to recommend a uranium exploration project worth Rs 614.1 million in Dera Ghazi Khan division to ECNEC.

In physical planning and housing, the official said that the CDWP meeting would take up two projects worth Rs 481.1 million to build the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat building in Islamabad at a cost of Rs 155.13 million, and the Water Supply Scheme from Shalman to Landi Kotal, Khyber Agency at a cost of Rs 326 million.

In education, the meeting will send the model districts project worth Rs 681.37 million to ECNEC for approval. The project aims to achieve a 100 percent literacy in model districts.

In science and technology, the CDWP meeting will take up six projects worth Rs 1.95 billion out of which it is likely to approve four. These consist of the High Tension Laboratory project worth Rs 66.324 million, Hazara University development project worth Rs 179.75 million, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, development project worth Rs 133.76 million and the plan to improve teaching and research facilities at the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences College at a cost of Rs 167.85 million.

In women development and manpower, the official said that the CDWP meeting was likely to approve the building of district resource centres for women in local governments at a cost of Rs 184.89 million.

In agriculture and food, the meeting is likely to approve two projects worth Rs 184.2 million, building cotton fibre testing laboratories at a cost of Rs 71.12 million and the palm oil development project worth Rs 113.08 million.

In devolution and area development, the meeting will take up four projects worth Rs 5.74 billion, out of which it is likely to approve the PC-1 Support for Improvement of Public Administration project in Punjab at a cost of Rs 63.79 million. The official said the meeting would send the remaining three projects to ECNEC. These consist of the Barani Village Development project worth Rs1.36 billion, Bahawalpur Rural Development project worth Rs 3.11 billion and the restructuring of law enforcement agencies in FATA at a cost of Rs1.210 billion. In the water sector, the meeting is likely to approve three projects worth 273.59 million.

These include a study on the environmental concerns of all four provinces at a cost of Rs 98.05 million. In health, the meeting is likely to send to ECNEC for approval, the plan to build the Institute of Neuro Surgery at the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, Karachi, at a cost of 488.58 million.

In commerce and industries, the meeting is likely to recommend two projects worth Rs 2.05 billion including the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) development programme at a cost of Rs 1.60 billion.

In population welfare, the meeting is likely to recommend for ECNEC’s approval two projects worth Rs 4.88 billion.

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