Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives/Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Sunday chaired a meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) that approved five development projects worth Rs60.259 billion.
CDWP approves five development projects worth Rs60.259b under Uraan Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Aug 30 (APP): Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives/Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Sunday chaired a meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) that approved five development projects worth Rs60.259 billion.
The forum okayed three projects valued at Rs11.714 billion and recommended two major projects worth Rs 48.545 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for consideration, a news release said.
The projects form part of the government’s development and reform agenda under Uraan Pakistan, aimed at strengthening human capital, modernizing infrastructure and governance, and promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
The CDWP approved the revised project for the Establishment of Medical & Nursing College at Gilgit, worth Rs4.924 billion. While reviewing the project, Ahsan Iqbal stressed the need to expand medical and nursing education opportunities in remote and underserved areas to develop a skilled local healthcare workforce and improve healthcare delivery in rural and mountainous communities.
He directed that the project be completed at the earliest, noting that it had been initiated in 2017 and faced delays due to inadequate funding.
The forum also approved the Establishment of National Defence University (NDU) FCS Campus at Defence Complex Islamabad (DCI) at a cost of Rs2.753 billion.
Ahsan Iqbal directed the relevant authorities to collaborate with the Planning Commission on research aligned with national development goals, including achieving a $1 trillion economy and $100 billion in exports by 2035, and to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard.
He also directed that Planning Ministry staff be included in relevant training programmes for capacity building, stressing that universities should provide evidence-based solutions to national challenges through high-quality research.
The CDWP further approved the Construction of Road from Zera to Daboori, District Orakzai (53.4 km), costing Rs4.037 billion.
The Planning Minister directed that the remaining funds for the project be released before the onset of winter to facilitate its completion, noting that the project had been pending since 2016. He said the federally funded road would improve connectivity in Orakzai District and reflected the government’s commitment to development in the merged districts.
The revised Karachi Neighborhood Improvement Project, worth Rs19.545 billion, was recommended to ECNEC for further consideration. The project is proposed to be financed through foreign funding, with the local share to be provided through the Government of Sindh’s Annual Development Programme (ADP).
While reviewing the project, Ahsan Iqbal directed the constitution of a committee comprising the Member (Population), Member (Infrastructure) and a representative of the Economic Affairs Division to develop a comprehensive framework for effective monitoring, transparency and accountability of foreign-funded development projects.
He emphasized that projects financed through foreign borrowing must deliver value for money and directed that robust mechanisms be established to ensure borrowed funds were utilized efficiently, transparently and strictly for their intended purposes.
The forum also referred to ECNEC the Construction of Water Supply Scheme to Gwadar Town from Mirani Dam under Balochistan Socio-Economic Development Projects Phase-III, costing Rs29 billion.
The project aims to provide a sustainable water supply to Gwadar through the construction of water supply infrastructure and allied facilities.
Ahsan Iqbal directed the provincial government to initiate a study for wastewater treatment in Gwadar, stressing that the city should not be allowed to face a situation where untreated sewage polluted the sea.
He also allowed the project to proceed to the bidding stage to save time, while directing that no contract should be awarded until approval was granted by ECNEC.
The meeting was attended by the Additional Secretary Planning, Chief Economist, Vice Chancellor Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), members of the Planning Commission, federal secretaries, heads of provincial Planning and Development departments, and senior representatives of relevant federal ministries and provincial governments.
