ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Monday cleared a total of 13 development projects having a total estimated cost of Rs226.7 billion.

The CDWP in its meeting presided over by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr Jehanzeb Khan approved eight projects worth Rs31.6bn and recommended five other projects of Rs195.1bn to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec).

Under the recently revised financial rules, the CDWP has been empowered to approve projects costing up to Rs10bn while the projects of higher estimated costs are approved by Ecnec once the CDWP clears them on technical grounds.

Tarbela 4th Extension project was completed early this year, increasing the total generation capacity from Tarbela dam by 1410MW from its previous capacity of 3490mw.

The projects cleared on Monday pertained to devolution and area development, education, energy, governance, health, industries & commerce, food & agriculture and physical planning & housing.

Four projects with a cumulative estimated cost of Rs147.8bn were taken up by the CDWP. Two of them with a total cost of Rs136.57bn were cleared on technical grounds and referred to the Ecnec for formal approval. These included Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project worth Rs122.977bn and Evacuation of power for Wind power project at Jhampir and Gharo worth Rs13.406bn.

The meeting also referred two projects related to governance sector — Punjab Cities Programme worth Rs32.53bn and Pakistan Single window worth Rs10.641bn — to Ecnec. Also Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Project with an estimated cost of Rs15.525bn was recommended to Ecnec for its clearance. The overall objective of the project is to contribute to reduction of poverty in Southern Punjab region.

The CDWP took up two projects related to education sector. These included Establishment & Operation of Basic Education Community Schools worth Rs5.195bn and Improving Human Development Indicators worth Rs3.306bn. The projects are designed to meet international obligations under Education For All goals. The two projects were approved with the condition that Ministry of Education will not come up for any further revision of both the projects.

In the energy sector two projects namely 500kV Chakwal substation worth Rs8.956bn and Hydropower & Renewable Energy-II, Gilgit Baltistan(KFW) worth Rs2.260bn were approved.

A project related to health sector — Procurement, Installation and Commissioning of Medical Equipment for three hospitals in Afghanistan including 60 bed Nishtar Kidney Hospital, Jalalabad, 200 bed Jinnah Hospital, Kabul, and 100 bed Nawab Amanullah Khan Logari Hospital, Logar worth Rs2.355bn — was approved.

National Strategic Programme for Acquisition of Industrial Technology worth Rs2.914bn was also approved. The main objective of this project is to upgrade technology and skills of economic sectors in the border areas of newly merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Under the project, cross sector interventions are planed and designed relating to textile, engineering & technology and construction for knowledge based technological development of these sectors.

Construction of three sewerage treatment plants and related sewerage system to treat the waste water falling into Korangi River, Rawal Lake and adjoining areas of Islamabad worth Rs3.97bn was also given a go-ahead.

A project related to Food & Agriculture Promoting Research for Productivity Enhancement in Pluses worth Rs2.6bn was also approved.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2019