ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Saturday cleared 28 development projects worth Rs309.14 billion in the areas of education, technology, energy, physical planning and communications.

The CDWP met under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, said a press release.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary Planning Ministry, members Planning Commission and representatives from the various ministries.

The forum principally approved a programme for Flood Response Through Reconstruction of Education Facilities in Sindh, assisted by JICA worth Rs1.566bn.

It also cleared establishment of one-stop service centre for Special Economic Zones worth Rs698million.

The meeting also approved the modernisation of academic and research facilities for students at MUET, Jamshoro worth Rs2.36bn; immediate needs for artistic innovation and technology integration at Aror University of Art, Architecture, Design & Heritage, Sindh, worth RsRs964.305; upgrade and improvement of People’s Nursing School, Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences, Jamshoro, worth Rs786.1m.

The CDWP also approved the upgrade of HPT Rawat transmitting station by installing a 1,000kW DRM-enabled medium wave transmitter under foreign-funded grant worth Rs4bn; the establishment of polytechnic institute for boys at Skardu (Baltistan region) worth Rs978.9m; infrastructure development of Islamabad Technopolis worth Rs7.3bn; construction of Audit House, Lahore, worth Rs1,997.6m; Women on Wheels project worth Rs4,476.1m.

The meeting approved the construction of the interchange on Lahore-Karachi Motorway (M-3) at Bucheki-Nankana Road in the name of Rai Mansab Ali Khan Kharal worth Rs1.3bn; construction of Lundianwala Interchange on Lahore-Abdul Hakeem Motorway (M-3) worth Rs1.7bn; construction of a road from More Khunda to Habo By Bala, district Nankana Sahib, worth Rs5.68bn and dualisation of road from Chistian to Chak no 46/3R via Dahrnawala (41.154 km) including two-lane Link Road from Dahrnawala to Chak 175m (4.859 km) worth Rs8.9bn.

Rehabilitation and special repair of track maintenance machinery worth Rs5.5bn; construction of road from Main Duki Road to Kharshang via Baghaw and Shinlaiz Sanjavi, district Ziarat, worth Rs1.5bn; and dualisation of the road from Larkano to Lakhi worth Rs4.92bn were also approved by the CDWP.

The construction of Sunni Gar Dam (revised) Rs5.11bn; establishment of the institute of sports worth Rs2.1bn, challenges faced to address the out-of-school children worth Rs250bn and strengthening of the University of Narowal (revised) worth Rs3.5bn was also approved.

Besides, the forum referred several projects to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for approval.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2023