ISLAMABAD: The Cen­tral Devel­opment Working Party (CDWP) on Wednesday cleared a total of five development projects having a cumulative estimated cost of Rs209 billion.

The meeting presided over by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan itself approved three projects with a total cost of Rs12.55bn and recommended two projects of Rs196.6bn to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for approval.

Under the revised financial rules, the CDWP is empowered to itself approve projects costing no more than Rs10bn while the projects of higher estimated costs are approved by Ecnec once the CDWP clears them on technical grounds.

The CDWP approved a project for uplifting water supply and sanitation infrastructure for tehsil Isa Khel in district Mianwali at an estimated cost of Rs3.3bn .

In the transport and communication sector, the CDWP approved dualisation of existing two-lane 22.5km Quetta Western Bypass long bypass to four lanes at a cost of Rs7.11bn.

The meeting also approved ‘Construction of Dera Murad Jamali Bypass on National Highway N-65’ at a cost of Rs2.14bn.

The CDWP also cleared for implementation of ‘Construction of Hyderabad- Sukkur, six-lane divided, fenced motorway at an estimated cost of Rs182.5bn on a build, own and transfer basis (BOT) but its formal approval would have to be accorded by Ecnec.

Likewise, the Rs141.4bn project for construction and upgradation of Jhaljao-Bela Road Hyderabad-Sukkur six-lane divided, fenced motorway was referred to Ecnec for approval also on BOT basis.

A position paper was presented relating to improving human development indicators in Pakistan with focus of Sustainable Development Goals relating to education involving a cost of Rs3.62bn and realising the present Covid-19 pandemic the CDWP approved extension for salaries of the staff for six months (up till June 2020) on humanitarian grounds including basic education community schools (BECS) teachers also.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2020