ISLAMABAD, April 23: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday approved 25 projects amounting to Rs68,529.602 million with foreign exchange component of Rs20,500.612 million.
Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, who chaired the meeting, says the projects approved support agriculture, health, education, roads and airports, water supply and human development.
Mr Shaukat said that increased development activities could have favourable impact on growth, development, job creation and overall economic activity.
The sector-wise break-up of the projects is: irrigation Rs3,363.727 million; water supply Rs7,486.713 million; communications Rs36,837.814 million; rural development Rs9,308.06 million; health Rs4785.741 million; education Rs5,880 million; technical education Rs284 million; and science and technology Rs299.200 million.
All the projects are aimed at improving social and physical infrastructure, mostly in rural areas to create opportunity for the people and improve their living standard. Most of the projects located in Sindh and Balochistan reaffirm governments resolve to accelerate development in these provinces and create job opportunities.
To make Gwadar Seaport a real hub of industrial and economic activity and attractive for Central Asian states and Afghanistan, the ECNEC approved Rs480.125 million for upgradation of Gwadar International Airport.
The meeting approved Rs14,419 million Sindh Road Sector Development Programme. Under the programme, 166 km of provincial highways and 1,200 km of rural access roads will be improved.
Decentralized elementary education project (DEEP) costing Rs5,880 million, including ADB loan of Rs4,538.124 million, envisages improving access and quality at elementary level education.
Modernization and upgradation of Pakistan Industrial Technical Assistance Centre (PITAC), Lahore, costing Rs284 million with foreign exchange component of Rs264 million would provide technological backup support to the industries, particularly small and medium enterprises.
The ECNEC approved Rs500 million setting up of Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO) for poverty alleviation and participatory development in Jaccobabad, Shikarpur, Ghotki, Khairpur and Tharparkar districts of Sindh.
The meeting approved Rs1,572 million technical assistance programme for the Local Government Performance Enhancement to enable the federal government to bear the revenue costs of shifting substantial fiscal resources on sustainable bases to the provinces and local governments.
Rupees 3,754.06 million Sindh Rural Development Project with foreign exchange component of Rs2,877.80 million was approved to improve governance and legal support.
Approval was accorded to Rs5,080.737 million Lyari Express Way, Karachi. A separate amount of Rs2,871.652 million was also approved for re-settlement of affectees as a result of building the express way.—APP
