ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Tuesday cleared a total of eight development projects worth Rs144.3 billion.

A meeting of the CDWP, led by Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, approved five development projects with an estimated cost of Rs15.35bn and recommended three others worth Rs129bn to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for formal approval. Mr Iqbal was recently given the portfolio of deputy chairman of the Planning Commission after six months of unease with former chairman Jehanzeb Khan who had to finally quit the position.

In his maiden speech as chairman of the CDWP, Mr Iqbal expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the prime minister for entrusting him with the position of PC deputy chairman for the fourth time.

The CDWP referred to Ecnec for approval a Rs52.772bn health sector project called “Establishment of Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment & Research, Lahore”.

The project is proposed to be financed through the provincial annual development plan. Its scope includes civil work for main hospital, cancer care clinic, hospice & palliative care facility, doctors’ accommodation & parking plaza, procurement of medical equipment, furniture and fixtures, hiring of medical and allied service staff.

The project, be spearheaded by a project management unit comprising professors and consultants in clinical care, envisaged provision of low cost quality and comprehensive cancer treatment through a 565-bed Institute of Cancer and Research located in Lahore. The cancer treatment related healthcare services will be integrating various modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and palliative care.

The authorities plan to accommodate patients having terminal illness in the hospital. The project will engage highly qualified personnel i.e. medical and engineering professionals, technologist and administrative workforce on market based salaries. The project is being constructed on government-owned land.

The meeting also recommended to Ecnec for approval a Rs61.308bn project, “Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project (SFERP) Phase-II”, in the transport and communication sector. The project is proposed to be financed through World Bank loan.

The local funding of the project is Rs5.574bn and foreign funding stands at Rs55.734bn. The proposed project under Phase-II of SFERP will support the Sindh government’s efforts to rehabilitate critical infrastructure damaged during the 2022 floods and enhance disaster response capacity. The activities proposed under Phase-II are aimed at scaling-up key activities and addr­essing financing gaps, to increase overall programme impact and enhance its development effectiveness.

The CDWP also recommended to Ecnec for approval a Rs14.7bn water sector project, “Katchi Canal Project Restoration of Flood Damages 2022”. The project aims restore the Katchi canal infrastructure in Punjab.

Unprecedented torrential rains occurred in the project area during monsoon in June-August 2022, leading to exceptionally high flash floods emanating from major hill torrents of Koh-i-Suleman. The project includes restoration of flood damages of Katchi Canal Project.

The CDWP approved an education sector project, “Reaching Out of School Children (OOSC) in AJK”, worth Rs7.183bn. Islamic Development Bank is providing financing to the project.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2024