ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Friday approved development projects worth Rs47.8 billion and referred two irrigation projects for Sindh and Balochistan to Ecnec for approval.

The meeting, chaired by Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal, approved projects relating to water resource, environment, transport and communication, higher education, food and agriculture, governance and mass media.

The Balochistan Integrated Water Resources Management and Development Project costing Rs27bn, and the irrigation component of Sindh Resilience Project for strengthening flood embankments and construction of small dams for improving resilience at a cost of Rs10bn, were referred to the Exceutive Committee of National Council.

The CDWP approved the construction of Siran Right Bank Canal in district Mansehra at a cost of Rs2,850.5 million. It approved the first phase of channelisation of Deg Nullah at the cost of Rs1bn.

In the transport and communication sector, CDWP approved the construction of a bridge across River Soan at Trap, linking Attock and Chakwal districts at the cost of Rs290.7m.

In the higher education sector, CDWP approved capacity building and strengthening of the Centre of Excellence in Mineralogy, University of Balochistan, Quetta at the cost of Rs144m.

It also approved capacity building and strengthening of the Pakistan Study Centre at the University of Balochistan costing Rs28.8m and academic and research linkages with different countries and agencies under bilateral agreement which involved the cost of Rs448.6m.

The CDWP also approved Industrial Linkages – Technology Park and Technology Incubator Centre at the cost of Rs288m and strengthening of Dawood University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi at the cost of Rs579m.

The CDWP also approved the establishment of School of Professional Development at Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University in Quetta at the cost of Rs408m and Innovation Centre and Innovation Park at the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore sub-campus at the cost of Rs3bn. The strengthening of academic and research programmes at the University of the Punjab, Lahore was also approved by CDWP.

The planning minister said the government is fully committed to the promotion of higher education in the country which is reflected from the higher number of projects approved during the last three years.

He particularly mentioned the establishment of School of Professional Development at Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University, Quetta and said that the number of girl students increased after the terrorist attack at the university some three years back.

In agriculture and food sector, CDWP approved the first phase of nutrition sensitive agriculture project costing Rs.582m.

In the mass media sector, CDWP approved China-Pakistan Friendly Exchange Programme at the cost of Rs100m. The position paper of Centre for Rural Economy was also approved at a cost of Rs1.1bn.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2016