CDWP approves 79 projects costing Rs343b

October 24, 2011

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) in a meeting held here considered and approved seventy-nine projects costing Rs343.470 billion including a foreign aid component of Rs134 billion.

Deputy Chairman Planning Commission of Pakistan, Dr. Nadeem-ul-Haque chaired the meeting of the CDWP, which was also attended by the sponsoring agencies and the representatives from Provincial Governments and Special Areas.

The CDWP after due deliberation approved / recommended 79 projects costing Rs343.470 billion including Foreign Aid component of Rs134.986 billion. Of the 79 projects, 60 projects were related to Infrastructure Sector costing Rs317.863 billion, 17 projects of Social Sector costing Rs22.509 billion and 02 projects in other Sectors costing Rs3.098 billion were approved.

The CDWP is authorized to approve projects costing up to Rs1.0 billion. However, 35 projects, each costing over Rs1.0 billion, were recommended to Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) for consideration/approval, says a statement issued by the Planning Commission here.

After 18th Amendment to the Constitution, the Federal Government has focused on implementation of Infrastructure projects, being its primary responsibility. In this sector, important projects of Transport & Communication like “Hasanabdal — Havelian — Mansehra Expressway E-35 (110 KM) ADB” costing Rs 46.8 billion, “Lowari Tunnel and Access Roads Project Modified as a Road Tunnel” costing Rs18.1 billion, “Rehabilitation of Track on Lahore — Lalamusa Section with New Signalling and Telecommunication System” costing Rs18.0 billion, “Modernisation of Gaddani Ship Breaking & Recycling Industry and Development of Allied Facilities at Gaddani” costing Rs11.4 billion and “Improvement and Widening of N-45 (141 KM) Section-1: Chakdara — Timargara Section — 2: Akhagram — Dir Section — 3: Kalkatak -Chitral” costing Rs9.2 billion were considered / recommended by the CDWP.

Similarly, addressing energy crisis the country, important projects like “Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project (90 per cent by World Bank 10 per cent by sponsors own sources)” costing Rs79.488 billion, “Detail Design and Construction of Matiltan Hydropower Project (84 MW) District Swat, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa” costing Rs15.1 billion, “Detailed Design and Construction of Lawi Hydropower Project Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” costing Rs12.2 billion, “Establishment of 48 MW Jagran-II Hydro Electric Power Station (Phase-II), District Neelum in AJK (Revised) (French Loan)” costing Rs7.0 billion and 04 Grid Station located in Balochistan and Punjab were also considered.

These projects will generate about 200 MW electricity after completion. For improving and conserving water resources in the country, nine projects of water sector costing over Rs12.0 billion were considered by CDWP mainly “Bazai Irrigation Project Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa”, “Remodeling of SMB Link Canal and Enhancing Capacity Mailsi Syphon, at Bahawalpur District and “Channelization of Deg Nullah from Muridke Narowal Road to Outfall (Punjab ADP)”. Moreover, CDWP advised the executing agencies to float projects on BoT basis to involve private sector in the development process of the country.

For rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood-affected areas, seven development schemes costing Rs5.5 billion were approved.

Source: www.thenews.com.pk