Rs419b uplift projects recommended to ECNEC
The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has recommended six major development projects with a cumulative cost of Rs418.761 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for further consideration, while approving six schemes worth Rs16.904 billion.
The meeting, chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, reviewed initiatives aligned with the URAAN Pakistan agenda, focusing on strengthening human capital, modernising governance, improving infrastructure and promoting sustainable economic growth.
Seven power sector projects were presented, of which five were approved: installation of Asset Performance Management Systems (APMS) for distribution transformers in SEPCO (Rs1.974b), QESCO (Rs4.093b), PESCO (Rs4.621b) and HAZECO (Rs1.9b), along with the BEST-PAK capacity building project (Rs1.425b). Two major projects – APMS for LESCO (Rs24.065b) and installation of reactive power compensation devices in the NGC network (Rs194.951b) – were recommended to ECNEC.
Iqbal directed authorities to include procurement specialists in mega projects and standardise cost estimates for DISCOs with proper load assessment, emphasising that energy security is central to the URAAN Pakistan initiative for achieving higher productivity, attracting investment, boosting exports and creating employment. The Punjab Urban Land Systems Enhancement Project (PULSE), worth Rs43.081b, was referred to ECNEC, covering digitisation of urban and rural revenue records, cadastral maps, archiving of old registered deeds, mass-level partitioning of agricultural holdings, door-to-door surveys, digitisation of kachi abadis, and establishment of an inventory and management system for state land assets.
The Smart Islamabad Initiative Phase I (Rs2.891b) was approved, providing an integrated smart governance and security platform for the capital to improve cross-agency coordination and public service delivery.
The Babu Sabu wastewater treatment plant in Lahore (Rs60.493b), aimed at treating untreated sewage to reduce pollution and protect public health, was recommended to ECNEC. The Jalalpur Irrigation Canal Project (Rs64.096b), with 86.93% ADB financing, was also recommended. The Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Project (SPPAP), worth Rs32.075b and financed by IFAD, was referred to ECNEC.
The minister directed that clear sector-wise outcomes be included in project documents for better impact assessment.