ISLAMABAD, Nov 8: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) has approved Rs21.235 billion for establishment of various projects.

The Planning Commission said in a press release on Saturday that a project envisaging improvement of cities in Sindh was approved for which $300 million would be provided by the Asian Development

Bank while $100 million would come from the provincial government.

Under the programme clean drinking water will be supplied to areas where availability is inadequate and sanitation facilities will be developed to improve environmental health through increased investment in water supply and sanitation sub-sector in Sukkur, New Sukkur, Larkana, Khairpur, Shikarpur and Rohri.

The project will be completed in 10 years and about 4 million people will benefit from it.

The Ecnec meeting approved a project worth Rs1.860 billion for conversion of 135km metre-gauge railway track between Mirpurkhas and Khokhrapar into broad gauge and its extension up to the Indian boarder.

The meeting approved phase-II of the rural road construction project costing Rs5.114 billion. The Japan Bank International Cooperation will provide a loan of Rs4.729 billion and the Sindh government will give Rs385 million as its share. The scope of the project is to construct 500km of roads by 2013.

An amount of Rs2.519 billion has been approved for the establishment of Pakistan-China Friendship Centre with a lecture hall, an exhibition centre, a multipurpose hall, a hostel and a library in Islamabad. It will be run by the government of Pakistan.

Ecnec approved a project worth Rs558.89 million for training and support of levy forces in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

The US will grant Rs546 million for the project while its local component is Rs12.89 million.

The project envisages provision of essential infrastructure to station law-enforcement agencies — Khassadars, Levies and FC — at strategic locations at the junctions of FR Kohat, FR Peshawar and Khyber Agency in a bid to have integrated and coordinated force.

The meeting approved a project costing Rs657 million for promotion of primary education in Fata.

Ecnec approved the establishment of Karakoram International University in Gilgit at a cost of Rs449.792 million to be funded through the federal Public Sector Development Plan.

A mineral survey scheme, which will be sponsored by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, for exploration of nuclear mineral resources was approved.

The survey, to be completed by 2013, will cover 20 major geological rock formations in Punjab, Balochistan, the NWFP, the Federally Administered Northern Areas (Fana) and Fata at a cost of Rs1.085 billion with a foreign exchange component of Rs486.018 million.

The meeting also approved Bagh city project at a cost of Rs7 billion and Rawalakot city development project of Rs8 billion.

Ecnec approved the construction of a new bridge over Sutlej River at Emanwala at a cost of Rs1.147 billion.

An amount of Rs2.376 billion was approved for a high-level bridge over Chenab River to will be completed by 2011.

The meeting approved dualisation/rehabilitation of the Larkana-Moen Jo Daro Airport Road at a cost of Rs1.931 billion.