Rupee’s fall increased Diamer-Bhasha dam’s cost, NA panel told

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning was informed on Thursday that the rupee’s devaluation had increased the cost of the Diamer-Bhasha dam by a whopping 31.5%.

Wapda officials told the standing committee meeting chaired by MNA Junaid Akbar that a contract worth Rs442 billion has been awarded while at the time of the first PC-1, its value was Rs336 billion. “When the PC-1 was made, the dollar was at Rs105,” they added.

However, they said that the revised PC-1 of the dam would be formulated in March.

Further, opposition members raised the issue of development funds. They said they were not getting any.

PPP’s Agha Rafiullah said, “Opposition members do not receive funds for any of the projects.”

He said the projects were inaugurated by the “losers”.

Committee member Sher Akbar Khan said that opposition members of Sindh Assembly did not get funds.

Rafiullah said, “Just as funds are not given in the federation, they are not given in Sindh either.”

The committee chairman asked opposition’s Agha Rafiullah to bring a privilege movement in the house and they would support him.

Meanwhile, a briefing was given on ML-1 project by the Ministry of Railways.

Railways officials informed the committee that package one of ML-1 will be completed in five years, which required more than Rs2 billion. Railways officials said that the plan was approved on August 5, 2020.

MNA Rafiullah accused Sheikh Rashid Ahmed of misleading the nation regarding ML-1, saying that he used to say that the project would start soon.

They said, “The firm that will be hired will design the project.”

Committee member Junaid Anwar asked whether the Ministry of Railways did not have qualified engineers.

“The present engineers of the railways can run a passenger train at 120km per hour, but can improve the speed limit up to 160 kms per hour.”

Railways officials said that the first plan in ML-1 project is to take loan from China, adding that the second plan included taking loans from Kazakhstan and Russia.

MNA Anwar urged including other countries in the first plan.

“Only the Chinese companies mentioned in the framework agreement for the project would participate in the bidding,” they added.

The committee expressed concern over the lack of progress on the ML-1 project.