CDWP okays 15 projects worth Rs32.5bn
ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Tuesday cleared a total of 15 development projects worth Rs32.5 billion.
The meeting of the CDWP was presided over by newly appointed Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan and approved a total of 12 smaller development projects with a total cost of Rs14.5bn and recommended three projects of Rs18bn to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for approval.
Under the current financial powers, the CDWP can itself approve projects costing no more than Rs3bn while the projects of higher estimated costs are approved by Ecnec once the CDWP clears them on technical grounds.
The projects taken up for discussion were related to energy, information technology, water resources, health, science and technology, physical planning and housing, transport and communications, nutrition and food and agriculture.
Ministry of Energy (Power Division) presented three projects. The first project 220kV Swabi Substation worth Rs5.826bn was recommended to Ecnec for approval. The purpose of the project is construction of grid station along with associated transmission lines to meet the additional load demand and voltage profile improvement of Swabi region which falls under China Pakistan Economic Corridor industrial zone.
Another project related to energy sector was also proposed by Power Division worth Rs5.77bn for a 220kV Nawbshah Substation. Both the projects were recommended to the Ecnec for approval.
Third project related to energy sector named Procurement of 220kV Mobile Grid Station along with Emergency Recovery System and 500kV Shunt Reactors for Emergency Services worth Rs6.247bn was also referred to Ecnec for further approval.
A project of the water resources sector named Rehabilitation and Modernisation of Islam Barrage worth Rs2.993bn was approved by the CDWP.
Two projects related to health sector were presented in the meeting. First project ‘Provision of X-Ray and Ultrasound Machines in Secondary Care Hospital of AJK’ worth Rs20 million was also approved by the CDWP.
The second project of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination to upgrade supply and filling line to improve the vaccine supply and filling station to achieve Good Manufacturing Practice standards at National Institute of Health, Islamabad worth Rs102.857m was also approved by CDWP.
Three projects related to IT were presented in the meeting. The first project was ‘Expansion of Broadband Services through MSAN Technology and Up-gradation of IP core and Access Network in AJK and Gilgit Baltistan’ worth Rs1.54bn was given approval by CDWP. The second project ‘Expansion of Cellular Services in AJK and GB’ worth Rs2.790bn was also approved. Third project ‘National Freelance Training Programme’ worth Rs367.169m was also approved in the meeting.
Two projects related to science and technology were presented in CDWP. The first project ‘Establishment of Center for Advanced Technologies in Biomedical Materials’ worth Rs849.329m was approved by the CDWP. Second project for the ‘Establishment of Facilities for Industrial Production of Nanomaterials in Latif Ebrahim Jamal Nanotechnology Center, H.E.J Research Institute of Chemistry University of Karachi’ worth Rs718.483m was also approved.
The CDWP also approved a project for Establishment of Pakistan Urban Planning and Policy Centre proposed by the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform at a total cost of Rs141.88m.
The meeting also approved a project related to transport and communications titled ‘Up-gradation and Rehabilitation of Existing 100 KMs Hub-Dureji Road including a bridge at Bund Murad Baluchistan’ at an estimated cost of Rs407.171m.
The CDWP also approved nutrition sector project ‘Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Stunting Prevention and Rehabilitation Nutrition Gain Project’ worth Rs2.218bn. Another project related to food and agriculture sector titled ‘Promotion of Olive Cultivation on Commercial Scale in Pakistan’ worth Rs2.320bn was also approved by the CDWP.
Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2019
