CDWP clears 19 projects of Rs142b

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has cleared 19 development projects worth Rs142.3 billion and recommended six projects to the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) for approval during its meeting held on Monday.

The CDWP considered 19 development projects related to the Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Water Resources, Power Division, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Ministry of Inter-provincial Coordination (IPC) during its second last meeting of the current fiscal year.

The meeting was chaired by Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Secretary Syed Zafar Ali Shah and was attended by Ministry of Water Resources secretary, Ministry of Communication secretary, National Highway Authority (NHA) chairman, Planning Commission members and other key stakeholders.

The 19 projects that were approved included the Construction of 2nd Circuit Stringing of 132kv Transmission Line from Jiwani to Gwadar (94 km) at a cost of Rs2.32 billion, Strengthening the Common Management Unit for AIDS, TB, Malaria and Accelerating Response to control the three diseases at a cost of Rs3.01 billion, National Health Support Project for Ensuring Universal Health Coverage in Federating Area at a cost of Rs2.58 billion and Establishment of National Cyber Security Academy at a cost of Rs600 million.

The meeting also approved the Establishment of Centre for Advanced Studies in Physics at Government College University, Lahore at a cost of Rs699.85 million, University of North Waziristan Tribal District at a cost of Rs2 billion, and Strengthening of KBCMA CVAS at a cost of Rs2.65 billion.

The CDWP cleared the Establishment of Film Institute at PTVC Academy at a cost of Rs400 million, LEU-based Production Facility at a cost of Rs1.32 billion, Conversion of Braking System of 328 MBFRs from Vacuum Brake to Air Brake System at a cost of Rs676 million, and Compensation and Relocation of Utilities of N-35 in Abbottabad at a cost of Rs8.32 billion.

It also approved the Improvement of Road from Rohri to Guddu Barrage at M-5 Interchange Sadiqabad via Khanpur Mahar, Mirpur Mathelo and Mureed Shah at a cost of Rs6.34 billion and Land Acquisition for Building and Dualisation of Tando Allahyar to Tando Adam Road (31.4 km) at a cost of Rs3.899 billion.

Six projects were recommended to Ecnec, which included the construction of Rs44.72 billion worth of Muzaffarabad-Mansehra Road (26.6 km), Mini Sports Complexes in 250 districts at a cost of Rs12 billion, Establishment and Upgrading of 250 Vocational Training Institutes across Pakistan at a cost of Rs12.61 billion, Construction of New Bridge between Sukkur and Rohri over Indus River costing Rs10.28 billion, Construction of ShardaNoori Top-Jalkhad SNJ Road (50.35 km) costing Rs16.32 billion, and Land Acquisition, Affected Properties and Compensation for Rajanpur-DG Khan Section as Four-Lane Highway, Dualisation, Rehabilitation of DG Khan-DI Khan section of N-55 (329.7 km) at a cost of Rs11.58 billion.

The construction of Muzaffarabad-Mansehra Road (26.6 km) costing Rs44.72 billion was recommended, while the construction of 11 bridges and two tunnels on the left bank of Jhelum River and Kunar will be an important link.

The construction of Mini Sports Complexes in 250 districts was recommended in order to promote sports through infrastructure development by establishing and upgrading the sports complexes across Pakistan through the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

The forum also recommended the establishment and upgrading of 250 Vocational Training institutes across Pakistan including AJK, G-B and newly merged districts of K-P for a project value of Rs12.61 billion, which would train 300,000 youth in capacity building.

Similarly, the construction of a new bridge with approach roads between Sukkur and Rohri over Indus River at a cost of Rs10.28 billion was also recommended to Ecnec.

Furthermore, the HEC proposal for the establishment of Rs6.9 billion worth of Knowledge Park in Islamabad and the Network of Digital Libraries across Pakistan was approved.

The feasibility study for Metro Bus route in Quetta was also considered for approval.