Projects worth Rs142bn approved
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ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) of the Planning Commission on Tuesday cleared 13 development projects worth Rs142.5 billion including five renewable energy projects in Punjab, while Karachi urban mobility project was referred to Ecnec.
The CDWP approved seven projects worth Rs10bn and recommended six mega projects worth Rs132.5bn to Ecnec. It recommended the Karachi Urban Mobility project also known as Yellow BRT Corridor worth Rs56bn to Ecnec for approval.
The Punjab government submitted seven projects related to renewable energy and five out of them were approved and two referred to Ecnec for its go-ahead.
The projects approved included construction of Deg-Out fall hydel power station worth Rs2.564bn; Pakpattan hydel power station at Pakpattan canal worth Rs1.81bn; Okara hydel power station worth Rs2.49bn; capacity building of energy department for undertaking feasibility studies and construction of hydel power stations in Punjab worth Rs388.55m; and carrying out of feasibility studies for additional five hydel power stations in Punjab, costing Rs46m.
While Chianwali hydel power station project in Gujranwala worth Rs3.642bn and Marala hydel power station in Sialkot costing Rs4.621bn were referred to Ecnec
In the physical planning and housing sector, the Lahore water and wastewater management project aimed at constructing surface water treatment plant at BRBD Canal worth Rs19.951bn was recommended to Ecnec.
In the education sector, the CDWP approved the reconstruction of fully-damaged school in Bara under the Chinese assistance worth Rs23.23bn.
The ‘Punjab Sustainable Development Goals project worth Rs400m was approved by the CDWP.
In the transport and communications sector, the construction of Peshawar-Torkham Morotway project costing Rs36.705bn, which is a part of Khyber-Pass Economic Corridor, was recommended to Ecnec for approval.
In the area of science and technology, the higher education development in Pakistan project worth Rs11.567bn was reviewed and referred to Ecnec for further approval.
A press release issued by the Planning Commission stated that there were seven projects financed by the Asian Development Bank and three projects by the World Bank and one project by Beijing-based AIIB from a Chinese grant.
Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2019
