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ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved on Wednesday seven development projects at an estimated cost of Rs134.4 billion.
Presided over by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, the body approved the projects that included an Rs8bn road launched by former PPP Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.
The project envisaged the dualisation and improvement of Sohawa-Chakwal Road at an estimated cost of Rs7.98bn involving a 66.4-kilometre-long existing road to a width of 7.3 metres (two-lane carriage way) and the construction of additional 7.3-metre-wide road (two-lane carriageway) to make it a dual carriageway besides the provision of allied facilities and structures.
Ecnec also approved the controversial Extension of Right Bank Outfall Drain from Sehwan to Sea (RBOD-II) at a cost of Rs61.98bn.
The project had been stalled for years because of the Sindh government’s refusal to finance its major part. The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) had deferred the project repeatedly as its demand for Rs15bn financing from Sindh was not forthcoming.
Finally, it has been decided that the Sindh government will provide Rs7bn to the project and the total cost will remain capped at Rs61.98bn.
The federal government will now provide Rs55bn to the project, which will be executed by the provincial irrigation department.
The project has been a subject of repeated cost overruns and allegations of corruption. Its cost increased from Rs14bn in 2001 to Rs65bn last year. It was then rationalised to Rs61.98bn.
Likewise, it also approved the Lower Indus Right Bank Irrigation and Drainage Project at a cost of Rs17.5bn. RBOD-I is part of the master plan and aims to dispose of effluents from the right bank of Sukkur and Guddu Barrage commands in Sindh.
Ecnec also approved a project of Balochistan Effluent Disposal into RBOD-III at Nasirabad, Jaffarabad (Balochistan) and Jacobabad, Kambir, Shahdad Kot (Sindh) at a cost of Rs10.8bn billion.
The project aims to provide disposal facilities for waterlogged areas in Sindh and Balochistan to increase agricultural production
The meeting also approved a Rs5.77bn Punjab Tourism for Economic Growth Project.
It aims to promote religious and domestic tourism by providing infrastructure facilities like wide access roads, tourism facilitation, provision of rest areas and other public convenience facilities along with providing training to tourism-related people in various cities of Punjab, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Taxila, Nankana, Sheikhupura, Narowal, Bahawalpur, Chakwal, Mithan Kot etc.
The committee also approved the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Corridor Development Investment Programme at a cost of Rs21.04bn. The project aims to dualise and rehabilitate 208km of three road sections on the National Highway (N-55) in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The meeting also approved the construction of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Bridge over Indus river in Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur with guide banks linking N-5 with N-55, including the approach road at a cost of Rs9.3bn.
Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2017
