CDWP approves Rs21.83b worth of projects

Six major projects worth Rs227.34b were referred to ECNEC for final approval

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ISLAMABAD:

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP), chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Ahsan Iqbal, approved ten development projects. Of these, four projects with a total cost of Rs21.83 billion were approved at the CDWP level, while six major projects worth approximately Rs227.34 billion were referred to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for final approval.

According to a press statement issued on Tuesday, the meeting was attended by Awais Manzur Sumra, Secretary Planning, Chief Economist, VC PIDE, other members of the Planning Commission, Federal Secretaries, and senior representatives from provincial governments and relevant ministries. The agenda included projects from key sectors such as Transport & Communications, Environment, Higher Education, and Information Technology.

One approved IT project was the "Expansion of Safe City, Islamabad" worth Rs7.5 billion. Currently, 35% of Islamabad is under surveillance; upon completion, 100% of the city will be monitored, covering roads, religious sites, VVIP areas, and government buildings. The project will expand surveillance from 13 to 28 police stations with 3,655 additional cameras and also includes executive staff training, facial recognition systems, ANPR, and an Integrated Video Management System.

Another approved project was the "Establishment of National Centre for Quantum Computing (NCQC)" worth Rs3.31 billion. It covers civil works, laboratory equipment, scholarships, international training, and institutional linkages at HUB, UET, GIKI, and NED. Ahsan Iqbal emphasised the centre's role in securing Pakistan's technological future and competitiveness in cybersecurity, AI, drug discovery, and climate modelling.

A revised "Higher Education Development in Pakistan (HEDP)" project worth Rs21.19 billion was referred to ECNEC. It addresses weaknesses in tertiary education, especially in Affiliated Colleges, by providing technology, funding mechanisms, and improved governance with World Bank support. Six Transport and Communication projects were also referred to ECNEC, including dualization of roads in Khushab, Gujranwala, and Chishtian, and a Lahore access corridor. A Rs155.4 billion highway reconstruction project under the Resilient Recovery Framework, to be 90% funded by AIIB, was also included.

The CDWP also approved the Rs5.31 billion rehabilitation of railway track maintenance machines and a Rs5.7 billion Punjab Clean Air Programme targeting PM2.5 emissions through electric vehicles, fuel testing, and anti-smog agricultural practices.