ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Tuesday approved 17 projects costing Rs20.32 billion, and referred another six projects worth Rs71.35bn to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for approval on Wednesday.

It further referred two position papers valuing at Rs178bn to Ecnec and gave concept clearance of three projects worth Rs60.38bn. The two position papers of the energy sector deal with design, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of 1,000-1,200MW (gross) re-gasified-liquefied natural gas (RLNG) based combined cycle power at Balloki district Kasur with a cost of Rs88 million, and Haveli Bahadur Shah district Jhang at Rs90m. The foreign exchange component for each of these projects will be Rs76m.

The meeting, chaired by Planning, Development and Reform Minister Ahsan Iqbal was attended by senior officials of the provinces and ministries concerned.

Twenty-seven projects relating to agriculture and food, Higher Education Commission (HEC), energy, health, information technology, physical planning and housing, transport and communication and water sectors were considered.

For all the approved projects, including position papers and concept clearance, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) portion is Rs176.23bn, whereas allocations in the PSDP 2015-16 have been made to the tune of Rs4.13bn.

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Six projects of the energy sector were approved, which include evacuation of power from 300MW solar plants near Chishtian worth Rs923.7m, strengthening of TSG Training Center for grid system operations and maintenance of Rs941.51m, 132KV upgradation of Pattan grid station of Rs171.90m and establishment of new 132KV grid station at Besham to cost Rs300m.

HEC’s four projects include strengthening of the National Textile University Faisalabad worth Rs1,458m; Afghanistan Scholarship Programme at the LUMS costing Rs306m, Certification Incentive Programme for SMEs of Rs700m and establishment of the FATA University to cost Rs1,489m. One project each for health and transport and communication sectors included ‘extension of Institute of Nuclear Oncology and Radiotherapy INOR at Abbotabad’ worth Rs566.166m and ‘technical assistance for Karachi Bus Rapid Transit Project (Red Line Design under PDA) of Rs1,295.99m respectively were approved as well.

Four projects of the physical planning and housing included, up-gradation of GPA Housing Complex at Gwadar at the cost of Rs676m; construction of Model Prison at H-16 Islamabad costing Rs4,530m; upgrading of mechanical system for sewerage and drainage services in Gujranwala using JICA grant costing Rs1,155m; and the construction of accommodation for Bhittai Rangers at Karachi worth Rs2,870m.

Six projects, referred to the Ecnec for approval, were: Punjab Economic Opportunities Programme of the agriculture and food sector worth Rs8,783m; evacuation of power from 1,320MW imported coal-based power plant at Hub of the energy sector to cost Rs8,783m; faculty development programme for Pakistani universities of the HEC worth Rs7,081m; Safe City Islamabad of the information technology sector to cost Rs15,865m; improvement, widening and construction of Kohlu-Sibi road project of the transport and communication sector worth Rs6,846m and water carrier from Nabisar reservoir to Thar coal field block-II will cost Rs16,370m.

Concept clearance were accorded to the Punjab Cultural Heritage and Economic Growth Project worth Rs5,885m, generating data to advance women’s social and economic well-being in Pakistan at a cost of Rs618.41m and establishment of 50,000 non-formal schools with a cost of Rs53,880m.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2015