Rs22b development projects given green light

CDWP reviews projects for food security, health and education

ISLAMABAD:

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Friday approved seven development projects worth Rs22.16 billion for a range of areas which included food security, a navigational channel, social programmes and academic research.

In a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, the CDWP reviewed seven projects related to the Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Ministry of National Health Services and Higher Education Commission.

It approved Balochistan Urgent Response for Food Security Project at a cost of Rs1.1 billion, Maintenance Dredging of Navigation Channel of Gwadar Port costing Rs4.669 billion, Social Sector Accelerator for Health, Nutrition, Education, Youth and Gender, National Priority Initiatives costing Rs4.825 billion, Provision of Academic and Research Facilities and Girls Hostel at Quaid-e-Azam University costing Rs3.86 billion, Establishment of Partnership between Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Government of Pakistan to address grand challenges in the health sector at a cost of Rs220 million, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Hospital at Tarlai, Islamabad costing Rs2.499 billion and Sanitary Sewerage System with Treatment Plant in Gilgit costing Rs4.988 billion.

Planning ministry is the sponsor of Social Sector Accelerator for Health, Nutrition, Education, Youth and Gender (HNEYG), National Priority Initiatives (2nd Revision).

To address the key issue, the ministry proposed a one-year Prime Minister Youth Internship Programme for fresh graduates. Under the programme, the ministry will provide paid internships to all eligible applicants that qualify for the programme.

Following their selection, the ministry will facilitate the placement of interns on positions relevant to their skills in host organisations spanning across the public, private and development sectors.

Interns will receive a stipend of Rs25,000 per month while a total of 30,000 internships will be awarded.

The six-month internship programme will include three online mentorship sessions culminating in an individual career development plan, one online training course on soft skills, one online training course on industry-relevant technical skills, two-day voluntary activity, recurring monthly work plans and monthly progress reports, and final internship report along with internship outputs.

The Balochistan Urgent Response for Food Security Project, sponsored by the Ministry of Finance, envisages the revival of agricultural production in the flood-hit districts of Nasirabad Division, which was considered the granary of the province.

The project will support the provision of rice seeds for increased productivity to 60,000 farm households. Each beneficiary farmer will receive 40 kg of rice seeds, which will be sufficient for cultivating the crop over 2 to 2.5 acres of land.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2023.

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