ISLAMABAD: The federal government has approved eleven development projects worth Rs102 billion.
The projects were approved during the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting, held at the Planning Commission under the chairmanship of Federal Minister Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal. The meeting was attended by senior officers concerned of the relevant ministries, and representatives of the sponsoring agencies, provincial governments and Special Areas.
The CDWP okayed the project of 1410 MW Tarbela dam 5th Extension to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), the project will cost about Rs80 billion and will be completed in four years.
The approved projects were mainly related to energy, environment, health, transport and communication, and Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms. An amount of Rs1.15 billion has already been earmarked for these projects in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2015-16. Four projects were recommended to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
The project approved includes 20 MW Hanzel Gilgit Hydropower Project, which will cost Rs6.248 billion and will be completed in four years. The project has a foreign exchange component of Rs948.37 million and Rs 1 billion has already been earmarked in the PSDP 2015-16.
Similarly in energy sector, a project of 220 kV transmission, system network reinforcement in Islamabad and Burhan, worth about Rs3.5 billion has also been approved. The project will be completed in three years and it has a foreign exchange component of Rs1.65 billion. In the current PSDP Rs250 million has been allocated for the project.
The project of the Pakistan Railways ‘Procurement/ manufacture of 585 Hopper and 25 Bogie Vans for Coal Transportation (Phase-II) was also approved by the CDWP and project will cost Rs6 billion, and has an foreign exchange component of about Rs 4 billion. The CDWP also approved the Developing Reverse Linkage between Marmara Research Centre (MRC) Turkey and Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD). The project will cost Rs 101 million, and has an FE component of Rs80 million and will be completed in two years.
Construction of 200 bedded Cardiac Hospital at Gilgit is also approved. The cost of the project is Rs2.6 billion and will be completed in three years.
The CDWP also approved construction of staff quarters’ for the Ministry of Railways. The quarter are located in Sindh and Punjab and will cost Rs475 million. The project will be completed in 15 months by September 2016.
The CDWP approved the construction of three dams including; Sanam, Palai and Kundal Dam Project located in district Swabi, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. The project will cost about Rs2.336 billion and is to be completed in three years.
Three projects of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform included: China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Support Project worth Rs409 million, National Initiatives for SDGS worth Rs1 billion and Integrated Transport Infrastructure Planning and Management Unit worth Rs300 million were also approved by the CDWP.
