ISLAMABAD: While approving several development projects costing Rs218.21 billion, the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Wednesday recommended Ecnec to construct a motorway as part of the western route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The Rs129.78bn motorway to be constructed from Halka/Burhan on M-1 to Dera Ismail Khan is among the seven projects involving an expenditure of Rs203.48bn recommended to Ecnec by the CDWP, chaired by Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal.

About the motorway project, Iqbal said this portion of western route was being built as per the decisions of All Parties Conference held in May last year.

The projects approved and recommended to Ecnec were related to energy; water resource; transport and communication; physical planning and housing; higher education; education governance; and planning, development and reform sectors.

The Golan Gol Hydro Power project costing Rs28.40bn was also recommended to Ecnec for approval. The project involves foreign exchange component of Rs10.04bn. Also in the energy sector, the meeting approved 500kV ‘Islamabad West’ project at a cost of Rs3.621bn. The 30.4MW Jagran-I hydro-power project was further approved costing Rs4.646bn with foreign exchange component of Rs2.392bn.

CDWP also approved and recommended installation of ‘Ship Lift and Transfer System’ and associated machinery and equipment to provide docking and facilities to surface shops, submarines and commercial vessels up to dead weight 7.781 tonnes net lifting capacity at a cost of Rs9.819bn.

Also recommended was the bridge across the river Indus, connecting Larkana and Khairpur districts, approach road and river training works at a cost of Rs13.79bn.

The CDWP approved 35km Musa Khail Tounsa road to be constructed and linked with Zhob at a cost of Rs2.99bn. A feasibility study for construction of breakwater at the eastern end of Jabel-e-Nuh at a cost of Rs300 million was approved by CDWP.

It further approved development schemes in district Tor Ghar at a cost of Rs319.46m and in Mansehra district at a cost of Rs925.73m.

In higher education sector, CDWP approved strengthening of research and academic facilities at Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) in Islamabad at a cost of Rs1.541bn with foreign exchange component of Rs633m.

The Planning Commission body also approved strengthening of academic and research programmes at Bahria University Islamabad and Karachi worth Rs1.52bn with Rs237m as foreign exchange component.

It also approved up-gradation and strengthening of essential facilities at the Institute of Business Administration, Sukkur costing Rs913.15m with Rs64m foreign exchange component.

CDWP approved the establishment of ‘Smart School’, at a cost of Rs238m as part of ‘Vision-2025’ and the up-gradation of ICT high schools at a cost of Rs465.268m.

In water sector, CDWP approved the second phase of Raghagan small dam project in Bajaur Agency at the cost of Rs423.98m. It also approved the construction of Bada Dam project in Swabi costing of Rs1.180bn and construction of small dams in Khaliqabad district Balochistan at a cost of Rs300m.

In physical planning and housing sector, the meeting approved the construction of judicial and administration complex in Islamabad at a cost of Rs708.53m.

In the arena of governance, CDWP approved support project for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) costing Rs600m with foreign exchange component of Rs300m. It also approved the up-gradation of ‘Jawad Azfar Computer Centre’ at the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms at a cost of Rs386.32m.

CDWP approved ‘Cluster Develo­pment Based Industrial Trans­formation Plan’ at a cost of Rs1bn and also approved Cluster Devel­opment Based Mineral Sector Transformation Plan costing Rs500m.

The establishment of ‘Centre for Social Entrepreneurship’ at Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms was also approved involving a cost of Rs128.40m.

Approval was also given for PPMI Centre of Excellence at a cost of Rs100m besides the establishment of ‘Urban Planning and Policy Centre’.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2016