ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting, chaired by Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, has approved 21 projects worth Rs41.17 billion and recommended nine projects to Ecnec which will cost Rs165 billion.
The major projects include evacuation of power from the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project, from where a 270km 500kV transmission line will be constructed to Gujranwala and evacuation of power from 720MW Karot and 650MW Azad Pattan hydropower projects, from where, two 500kV double-circuit transmission lines having a length of 5km each will be constructed for interconnection of these power plants with the Neelum Jhelum-Gujranwala lines.
The CDWP also approved construction of a 132kV grid station at Dera Bugti and 132kV SDT Sui-Dera Bugti transmission line, and construction of 132kV grid station at Sui and Kashmore-Sui transmission line by the ministry of water and power.
The Central Development Working Party also okayed the operation and management of Kashmir Railways, though which Kashmir will be linked with rest of the country. Also in the railways sector, the meeting approved replacement of two diesel generator sets of 1,000kW at Mughalpura workshop in Lahore.
The CDWP approved projects including six dams in Thar, establishment of the University of Swat, establishment of public health and nursing institutes at People’s University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women at Nawabshah, creation of a centre for rural economy at the Planning Commission.
The meeting also recommended nine projects to Ecnec include water supply and sewerage schemes for Mirpur and hamlets in the periphery of Mangla Dam; rehabilitation and improvement of railway tracks; procurement of 75 diesel electric locomotives; procurement of hopper wagons for coal transportation; construction of new secretariat block at Constitution Avenue, Islamabad; rehabilitation of NHA highways network damaged due to unprecedented monsoon rains and flash floods of 2010; Lowari Tunnel and access roads project; Sindh irrigated agriculture productivity enhancement project assisted by the World Bank; and construction of water carrier from spinal drain of LBOD to Nab for Thar coal power generation units by the Sindh government.
