ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Monday cleared a total of five projects costing about Rs58.5 billion, all of them for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gwadar.

At a meeting presided over by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, the CDWP itself approved two development projects with cumulative estimated cost of Rs5bn and referred three projects worth Rs53.5bn for approval to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec).

The projects taken up by the CDWP pertained to Food and agriculture, governance, transport and communications.

The CDWP discussed Gwadar-Lesbella Livelihood Support Project Phase-II related to food and agriculture sector involving an estimated cost of Rs12.329bn and referred it to Ecnec for formal approval.

Three projects related to transport and communications were presented in the meeting. The Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa Provincial Roads Rehabilitation Project under PKHA portfolio worth Rs28.156bn was also referred to the Ecnec for approval. The revised PC-1 of the project envisages rehabilitation of 274km of existing provincial highway network in the province. The revised PC-1 also includes construction of bridges, culverts, drainage, erosion and ancillary works along with allied facilities.

Another project of transport and communication sector namely Feasibility Study and Dualisation of Mardan Swabi Road worth Rs13.024bn was also recommended to the Ecnec for approval.

The CDWP formally approved Up-gradation of Road from Konodas Bridge to Naltar Airforce Base Camp via Nomal with a revised cost Rs4.286bn.

Another project related to governance sector Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Unit in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (UNDP Assisted)-1 Revised worth Rs700.268 million was also approved in the meeting. The main objective of the project is mainstreaming of SDGs in local development plans and strategies clearly delineating the resource requirements, strengthening institutional coordination, reporting and monitoring mechanism, financing and supporting integrated approaches to accelerate progress on SDGs.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2021