ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved nine projects for different sectors at a cost of Rs4.72 billion and recommended two projects pertaining to energy and education worth Rs14.64 billion for approval to Ecnec.
The CDWP which held with Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal in the chair approved the projects in education, culture, agricultural engineering, livestock, women development and communication sectors. These projects include enhancement of research facilities at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) at Pattoki, costing Rs980.22 million. In the communication sector, it approved two projects worth Rs1.27 billion for Shangla Hill Interchange on M-3 and the dualisation of the remaining portion of Sukkur bypass. A project for ‘Grow Green Gwadar and Smart’ worth Rs410m was approved.
Under the Pak-China Economic Corridor, a support project of the Ministry of Railways was also approved by the CDWP at a cost of Rs252 million.
Other projects approved are: the second phase of archaeology community tourism field school project worth Rs52.53m; establishment of ‘Seerat Chairs’ in public sector universities involving Rs192m; strengthening of academic facilities at Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai University in Khairpur costing Rs712.60m; and strengthening of agricultural engineering and women development programme worth Rs843.18m.
The projects recommended to Ecnec are 500KV substation at Faisalabad west worth Rs1.1 billion, and Rs3.57 billion worth Balochistan education project.
Speaking on the occasion, the Federal Planning Minister claimed that the development strategy under ‘Vision 2025’ had brought a paradigm shift in priorities for allocation of resources.
Listing the seven priorities of the development strategy, Mr Iqbal said the first priority was to focus on human resource development and put people first in development process.
“Our neglect of human resource development has put us behind other nations. The Rs10 billion ‘National Human Resource Endowment Fund’ approved by the government is a proof of our commitment, he added.
The second priority, he said, was to focus on indigenous sources of growth for sustainable and inclusive growth. There is focus on research and development, innovation and export promotion. The target of increasing exports to over $150bn by 2025 is a step in this direction.
