ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved on Tuesday Rs218 billion worth of projects including a plan to increase production capacity of the Mangla Power Station at an estimated cost of Rs52.3 billion.
Headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Ecnec – the highest project approval authority – cleared 10 projects in the areas of irrigation, water, power, infrastructure, education and a programme for distribution of 100,000 laptops under the Prime Minister’s Scheme for the Youth, said an official statement.
It paved the way for refurbishing and enhancing the generation capacity of the Mangla Power Station from 1,000 megawatts to 1,310MW.
US Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide a $150 million grant for the capacity enhancement project. Apart from this, a loan of $102 million will be arranged from Japan and another loan or grant of $111 million will be requested from other donors.
In case the loans are not extended, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) will complete the project by utilising its resources.
Ecnec also cleared phase-1 of the Kachhi Canal Project at a revised cost of Rs57.6 billion. Already about Rs37 billion has been spent on the flagship project, whose initial phase will be completed by December 2014.
An additional Rs15 billion would be provided by the federal government as part of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s commitment to the people of Balochistan, said a Ministry of Finance handout.
Ecnec also gave the go-ahead for the purchase of 100,000 laptops for distribution to students under the Prime Minister’s National Programme for Provision of Laptops to all Phds, Masters, graduates and diploma holders.
The scheme, which is estimated to cost Rs4 billion, is one of the initiatives undertaken under the prime minister’s youth scheme.
The committee agreed that no laptop would be handed over to the students who had already got it in the past.
It directed the Higher Education Commission that bids for the supply of laptops should carry a condition that the bidders would establish an assembly plant, leading to their manufacturing.
This year, laptops will be purchased off the shelf while in the next two years the suppliers will have to install assembly plants in the country.
Ecnec also gave its seal of approval to the Basic Education for All project, under which schools would be opened in different districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir at a cost of Rs1.3 billion.
Naltar-V hydropower project with a capacity of 14MW and revised cost of Rs3.9 billion was also approved. Its aim is to meet power needs of Gilgit Town.
The committee also gave in principle approval to 150MW Sharmai Hydropower Project in Upper Dir, 132MW Shogo-Sen Hydropower Project and 144MW Shushgai-Zhendoli Hydropower Project in Chitral, costing a total of Rs91.6 billion.
These projects, proposed by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government, were approved on a condition that the province would arrange finances according to the Constitution. The province will also share information with the committee once project plans are firmed up and financial close is achieved.
Ecnec also cleared construction of Shadi Kaur Storage Dam and associated work proposed by the Balochistan government at a cost of Rs6.5 billion. Work on the project depends on its environment impact assessment.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2014.
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COMMENTS (12)
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Such a shame no one spoke up against the previous PPP government . Perhaps they were too busy counting the notes in the brown envelope.
I am sure soon after these unproductive schemes we will see the Executive Committee of National Economic Council will approve the distribution of 100,000 "Qeemay wala naan"
@Breaking Bad: But that wont get any votes
No, no guys, you are burning too much of brain cells on this one.. the Shareef brothers understand the mentality of our people very well, may be not in urban areas but in rest of 80% of the country, this is their price! you give their kid a laptop, you fix someone's sewer system, repair some road meaning something very little and that's it, you earn their vote forever! these innocent people don't think any beyond!! who cares what dams do, why patrol price hike can damage, why we need a foreign policy, etc.etc. its not their problem!
Laptops worth 4B? Who are the policy makers? We could probably have a thousand MW wind farm for green electricity for industry and thus improve economy or better spend this money on battered schools in remote areas!
Well before distributing laptops following a random policy ,they should launch a prior few weeks course based on E-Business and e-Earning . Youth with no aim ,and no awareness regarding e-earning (a whole safe and easy way of earning , even women enjoying home security can earn ) are more vulnerable to the immoral practices on internet. Some of the websites even ask for the services of interpreters,creative writers, country guides . ..etc . But as always our govt is more interested in Show off . One example is PM loan , though developed with intense care , it will not bring expected success.
Respected sir, its a great step for the benefit and development in Pakistan. I really like this government who taken good steps in evry field.
More concerned about who will supply these laptops rather than who gets them. Definitely a good time to be on good relations with the nawaz brothers
sorry for being bitter. laptops for facebook/video chats/porn. How about investing in sports and some basic education that does not necessarily need technology.