CDWP approves 64 projects costing Rs236 billion

Rs62 billion assigned to reduce energy shortage.

ISLAMABAD:

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved 64 projects with a cost of Rs236 billion, which includes foreign aid worth Rs107 billion.

At a meeting, chaired by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Dr Nadeemul Haque and attended by representatives of sponsoring agencies and provincial governments, the party approved 64 projects, which include 37 projects related to infrastructure, 19 projects related to the social sector, and eight projects related to the food, agricultural and industrial sectors.

Energy

Eleven projects were approved for the sector at a cost of Rs62 billion. The most significant project was the Natural Gas Efficiency Project, which is set to cost Rs37 billion. The project, to be implemented with financial assistance from World Bank, is aimed at reducing gas losses in the Sui Southern Gas Company system through an unaccounted for gas (UFG) reduction programme, appliance efficiency pilot project, and technical assistance for improving skills.

Transport and Communication

Twelve projects were approved for the transport and communication sector at a cost of Rs75 billion. As part of these projects, doubling of tracks on the Shahdara Bagh-Lalamusa, Khanewal-Rawalpindi and Shahdara Bagh-Faisalabad routes will be carried out at costs of Rs14 billion, Rs13 billion, and Rs11 billion, respectively.

Housing and Water

Five projects costing Rs3 billion were approved for the of physical planning and housing sector, which includes establishment of Statistics Training and Research institute in Lahore, costing Rs662 million, and construction of the Anti-Narcotics Force Academy in Islamabad, costing Rs455 million.

Additionally, seven projects costing Rs47 billion were approved in the water sector. These include the Lower Bari Doab Canal Improvement Project at a cost of Rs30 billion, and Punjab Irrigation System Improvement Project at a cost of Rs9.3 billion.

Education and Health

Five projects of the Higher Education Commission, costing Rs4.5 billion, were approved for the sector. For the information technology sector, a project called “National Response Center for Cyber Crimes (NRCC) Phase-II” costing Rs479 million was approved. An important vertical project titled “Expanded Programme on Immunisation” costing Rs25 billion was also approved for the health sector.

Agriculture and Industry

Important agricultural and industrial projects were also approved. These include “Community Development Project for Rehabilitation of Salt-affected and Water-logged Lands”, costing Rs795 million, “Establishment of Apple and Other Fruits Processing Complex at Quetta”, costing Rs495 million, “Infrastructure Development of Industrial Estate Larkana”, costing Rs2.4 billion.

Moreover, projects of mass media, manpower, forestry and governance were also approved by the Central Development Working Party.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th,  2011.