CDWP Approves 38 Projects Costing Rs. 244.5 Billion

Lahore: CDWP meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development & Reform. The meeting considered 42 development projects and approved 38 of them costing Rs. 244.5 billion with Foreign Exchange Component of Rs. 68 billion covering Energy, Water Resources, Education, Governance, Science & Technology, Social Welfare and Agriculture sectors.

Prof. Ahsan Iqbal directed that all project proposals should be put up on website for scrutiny by experts and citizens to bring transparency in development programmes. He directed Ministry of Water & Power, and Chairman WAPDA to set up Expert Advisory Group for helping provinces to prepare small hydro power projects. He asked Ministry of Water & Power to expedite investment policy for private sector to invest in small hydro power projects, as the availability of fund in public sector is limited and constrained. Therefore, we must promote private sector in energy sector. If there is pro-private sector policy, we may harness more than 30000 MW by developing small dams in Northern Areas of Pakistan.

He directed the NCHD to develop key performance indicator in development to achieve universal primary education, as achieving 100% literacy is critical for Pakistan’s future. He said, in the past, we have ignored human and social capital and today are paying a big price for this mistake. Knowledge, energy and infrastructure sectors are critical for our future development. He directed Ministry of Planning, Development & Reform to ensure discipline in project management and a committee was formed with representatives of all provinces, AJ&K and Gilgit Baltistan to make recommendations on eliminating wastage in development projects and streamlining the procedure in developing sector.

Pakistan China Economic Corridor feasibility study for rail track to connect Gwadar to Karachi through 700 km, rail track from Gwadar to Basima and Basima to Jacobabad via Khuzdar measuring 1048 km were approved. Feasibility study for new rail from Havelian to Pak.China border was also approved. Feasibility study for Karachi – Lahore 1160 km motorway,  and Muzaffarabad-Mirpur-Mangla N-5 express way were also approved.

A project costing Rs.400 million to upgrade Larkana Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (LINAR) was also approved. Project costing Rs. 880 million for construction of Abbas Institute of Medical Science, Muzaffarabad AJ&K (Phase-II) was also approved.

Three (03) projects for construction of Barracks for Gilgit Baltistan Scouts were approved. In water resources, project feasibility study of small dams in KPK costing Rs.128 million, Chao Tangi Small Dam in South Waziristan Agency (FATA) costing Rs.798 million, construction of Palai & Kundal Dam District Charsadda, KPK costing Rs. 999 million, flood protection on river Chenab  at Muzaffargarh-Khangarh Bund costing Rs. 395 million, feasibility study for construction of Bhimber Dam project, AJ&K with the cost of Rs. 86 million, Construction of Shadi Kaur Storage Dam with cost of Rs. over 6 million, Revised Project of Kachhi Canal costing 57 billion rupees which will irrigate 100,000 acres of land in Dera Bugti were approved.

In energy sector, Harpo Hydro Power Project costing Rs. 11.6 billion, Dubair Khawar Hydro Power Project costing Rs.27 billion, Distribution Rehabilitation Energy Loss Reduction Project (ELR) of PESCO with the cost of Rs. 7.8 billion, Power Distribution Expansion (DOP) of PESCO, Rs. 17 billion Land Acquisition Project for Dasu Hydro Power Project, establishment of Hydro Power Training Institute (HPTI) at Mangla costing Rs. 568 million, Refurbishment and Up-gradation of generating units of Mangla Power Station enhancing the capacity from 1000 MW to 1310 MW costing Rs. 50 billion, Power Distribution Enhancement Investment Programme LESCO, GEPCO, PESCO, IESCO, FESCO & HESCO over 160 million dollars, Construction of 35 MW Nagdar Hydro Power Project costing Rs.7 billion, construction of Dowarian Hydro Power Project Neelum Valley were approved.

Project for establishment of Federal Government College of Home Economics, Management Sciences, and a. project for improving Human Development Indicators and literacy through NCHD for Rs.13 billion were also approved. Project to improve agriculture growth in Sindh costing Rs. 9 billion and project of Nutrition Support for Sindh with the cost of Rs.4 billion were also approved by the CDWP.