ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Friday cleared six projects worth Rs139 billion, particularly those relating to flood rehabilitation and water management.

A meeting of the CDWP, presided over by Minister for Planning and Develop­ment Ahsan Iqbal, recommended rehabilitation and reconstruction of N-5 motorway from Moro to Ranipurto at a cost of Rs36bn and Sindh Flood Emergency Reconstruction project amounting to Rs48bn to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for approval.

The rehabilitation and reconstruction of 318-404km N-5 and 32 damaged bridges under $150 million ADB flood emergency loan are meant for restoration of the disrupted communication infrastructure.

The CWDP also approved Improving Workforce Readiness in Punjab project sponsored by the ADB and Planning and Development Department Board, government of Punjab, at a cost of Rs24bn.

The forum also recommended reconstruction and rehabilitation of irrigation, drainage system and flood protection works in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at a cost of Rs15bn to Ecnec for approval.

It also recommended reconstruction and rehabilitation of flood-affected irrigation infrastructure in Balochistan to Ecnec at a cost of Rs12.5bn. The main purpose of the project is to reconstruct and rehabilitate the flood-affected irrigation infrastructure to ensure flood safety in future.

The meeting approved a project worth Rs3.83bn to revive rural agro-based economy of the flood-affected population in Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2022