PM approves next year’s proposed allocations for Diamer-Bhasha, Dasu dams. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday gave the go-ahead to various multi-billion-rupee mega projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and approved next year’s proposed allocations for the construction of Diamer-Bhasha dam, Dasu Hydropower Project, Faisalabad-Khanewal M-4 Motorway and Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus project.
Presiding over a meeting to finalise the PSDP allocations for the next financial year, he said these projects will create millions of job opportunities in the country. The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNAs Hamza Shahbaz and Captain Safdar, and senior officials from the ministries concerned.
“The meeting approved the [budget] allocations for the construction of Diamer-Bhasha dam, which will generate 4,500MW of electricity, Dasu Hydropower Project, which will generate 2,160MW, the 57-kilometre Faisalabad-Khanewal M-4 Motorway and the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus project,” a statement issued by the media wing of the Prime Minister’s House said.
The Diamer-Bhasha and Dasu dam projects, currently in the preliminary stages of construction, are expected to help plug Pakistan’s massive energy shortfall. The total construction cost of the former dam is expected to be around $14 billion, while that of the latter is estimated to be around $4.278 billion.
Last year, in August, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said work on the two dam projects will begin simultaneously. Work on Diamer-Bhasha dam is expected to take between 10 and 12 years to finish. The first stage of Dasu dam, which will be built in two 2,160MW stages, envisages generating 2,160MW and is expected to be completed by 2019.
Friday’s meeting also discussed and approved feasibility studies for the construction of rail links from Islamabad to Muzaffarabad via Murree, Havelian to the Pakistan-China border and Gwadar to Karachi, along with other initiatives such as approach roads to the New Islamabad International Airport, the new Gwadar International Airport project, Jetty and Infrastructure development at Gadani, Gwadar Port Economic Free Zone project, Pak-China Technical and Vocational Institute at Gwadar and the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park at Lal Sohnra Park Phase-II (600 MW).
In his remarks, Nawaz said his government has “embarked upon the road to progress and the new projects will usher our country into an era of prosperity.”
“The prime minister told the participants [of the meeting] that each penny in our kitty is a public trust and emphasised upon efficient use of public money,” the PM House’s media office said in a statement.
Premier Nawaz was given a detailed briefing on the PSDP projects included in the next financial year budget, the statement added. He directed that the initiation of work on Lahore-Karachi Motorway be expedited and was told that the work on this project will be started by the end of 2014.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2014.
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The government doesnt understand it must focus limited resources on well thought projects instead of expanding to so many projects and contributing low funding to each of them and then giving small allocations from PSDP every financial year. Power projects are good example of this.10 plants gaddani,solar parl,3 dams costing $20 billion together and now recently 1.6 billion on the lahore mass transit system,solar park in bawalpur (will cost more than $1 billion)We have limited funds in budget,allocation of exact funds from budget towards these projects is also uncertain because of higher than projected power subsidies every financial year. our budget is to be around 2,5 trillion this year .thats a mere $26 billion.add just the projects mentioned above and add the $ 850 million for benazir support and 100's of other projects and then add these.at this rate these projects will be completed in the next government's tenure unless the government consolidates and decides which projects are a national priority. our national priority should be energy,power and water security and these in turn power industries that can tackle our growing current account deficit ,lower forex reserves and low budget every year
Planning for new projects is good strategy to meet future requirements of the nation. However, it is the worst strategy to start new projects without completing on-going projects. According to latest data released by Ministry of Planning, Developments and Reforms published on 11 May 2014 in print media, the federal government has released Rs 17.71 billion (34 percent) for 10 power projects out of 37 against the total allocation of Rs 51.54 billion during financial year 2013-14 under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). With less than two months remaining for the end of the fiscal year no money was released for 27 on-going power projects including on-going Neelum Jhelum Hydro Power Project (969 MW). Is this performance is a pride for the federal government?
The Khanewal - Faisalabad M4 motorway will be around 157 km, not 57.