ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Tuesday approved 12 projects worth Rs30 billion in energy; education; health; and communication sectors and recommended four projects worth Rs14bn to Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for approval.

In a meeting, chaired by Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, four energy projects were approved, including evacuation of 1,200MW from re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) based combined cycle power plant at Bhikki near Sheikhupura to respective load centres.

The project — to be financed through international financing institutions, local banks and the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) own resources — is expected to be completed in 18 months.

The CDWP also approved the evacuation of 1,200MW from RLNG-based combined cycle power plant at Haveli Bahadur Shah in Jhang district, and supply to upcountry centres by construction of 500KV transmission line of 28-kilometre. The project will be completed in 18 months at the cost of Rs1.616bn.

The evacuation of 1,200MW RLNG-based combined cycle power plant at Balloki in Kasur district, and supply to upcountry centres by construction of 500KV transmission line of 40km. The project will cost Rs3.434bn and will be completed in 18 months.

The approval of 30.4MW Jagran-I hydro power project envisages transmission line to connect future projects in the Neelum Valley with the grid station. The project will cost Rs4,646m.

In education sector, CDWP approved a project for developing new campus of GC University Lahore at Kala Shah Kaku in three years. The campus will cost Rs982m to be funded from PSDP allocation of the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

A project to expand academic and research facilities at Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University at Quetta, to be completed in two years, will cost Rs696m and will be funded from PSDP allocation of the HEC.

Construction of boys and girls hostels at Islamia College University of Peshawar. Both hostels, to be completed in two years, will cost Rs209m.

A project for awarding 3,000 scholarships to Afghan students will be funded from the grant pledged by the government for reconstruction of Afghanistan.

The second phase of Fulbright Scholarship Support Programme of HEC-USAID was also approved, which will be funded through the PSDP allocation of HEC and grant-in aid provided by USAID.

In health sector, CDWP approved a project for the establishment of Safe Blood Transfusion Services in Gilgit-Baltistan.

The provision of brachytherapy services at NORI Hospital, Islamabad was also approved. The project will be completed in one year with a cost of Rs71m.

Establishment of a Child Health Care Institute in Sukkur was also approved, to be funded by the Economic Development Corporation Fund of South Korea.

A project for the construction of a central police office for national highway and motorway police in Islamabad, to be completed by the end of 2017, will cost Rs298m.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2015

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