ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Wednesday approved eight development projects, mostly in the social sector, at an estimated cost of Rs155.26 billion.

In a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ecnec also approved a few projects which will be mostly executed in Punjab and Sindh ahead of general election.

A sum of Rs23.478bn was approved for enhancing Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in Punjab. Under the programme, direct financial support will be provided towards Viability Gap Fund, and Project Development Fund.

The funds will also be used to build capacity besides providing adequate financial resources to government departments for project identification, transaction execution and development of sustainable PPP projects.

For Prime Minister’s Health Programme phase-II Rs33.629bn was approved. Punjab is the major beneficiary of this project.

Under this umbrella project, the government committed to expanding and extending provision of health services across the country especially to the women and children and to reduce out of pocket expenditures on health by vulnerable segments of society.

In the meeting, the representative of the Sindh government expressed his government’s inability to make any financial contribution towards the Prime Minister’s National Health Programme.

Ecnec also approved Rs32.721bn for construction of Jalalpur Irrigation Canal along the right bank of river Jhelum and construction of Papin Dam project at a rationalised cost of Rs5.307bn in Rawalpindi.

For Greater Karachi Sewerage Plan (S-III), Ecnec approved Rs36.117bn. The meeting, however, emphasised upon the need for effective monitoring to ensure uninterrupted and smooth implementation of the project.

The meeting also accorded approval to setting up of combined effluent treatment plants (CETP) for industrial areas of Karachi including laying of interceptors sewers at an estimated cost of Rs11.799bn. It was decided that the federal government’s share would be funded through Public Sector Development Programme.

The meeting approved the project of scaling up of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF-II) risk reduction in northern Pakistan at a cost of Rs3.946bn.

Projects for rehabilitation of assets damaged as a result of riots of in the wake of killing of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on Dec 27 and 28, 2007 and during the 2010 floods were also approved at a cost of Rs10.461bn and Rs9.597bn, respectively.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2018