- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Dec 12 (APP):The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Friday approved 04 projects worth Rs 10.551 billion and 04 major projects, worth Rs 256 billion, were recommended for further consideration by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
The CDWP met here under the chairmanship of the Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, which also cleared 08 important development projects covering essential areas of the national economy, said a press release.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Planning Awais Manzur Sumra, Vice Chancellor PIDE, the Chief Economist, members of the Planning Commission, Federal Secretaries, heads of Provincial Planning Departments, and senior representatives from relevant Ministries and Provincial Governments.
The agenda encompassed projects from key sectors including education, training, health, power, transport, communications, devolution, area development and water resources.
In the education and training sector, two revised projects were reviewed. The forum recommended the revised “Prime Minister’s Pakistan Fund for Education” worth Rs14,000 million to ECNEC.
During deliberations, Ahsan Iqbal stressed that the project must revert to its original concept. He emphasized that the core objective is to provide scholarships and Qarz-e-Hasna to support top-talented needy students pursuing higher education in strategic fields such as IT, AI, science, development economics, water resources, and mining, which are critical for Pakistan’s future development.
He said Prime Minister’s initiatives for the education sector are aimed at creating opportunities for less privileged. The forum further directed the Ministry of Education that the modified PC-I be submitted to the Planning Commission, as per DCPC directions, before being forwarded to ECNEC.
The second revised project, “Construction of Graduate Block in NCA Lahore” worth Rs1,607.314 million, was also approved by the CDWP, which will enable country’s premier art education institution to expand its programs. He said, developing creative industries as one of the drivers of country’s exports is a goal of URAAN Pakistan.
Two projects from the health sector were presented. The “Expansion of Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and National Institute of Heart Diseases (AFIC-NIHD), Rawalpindi” worth Rs12,948.434 million was recommended to ECNEC. Forum approved the project with the direction that the sponsoring agency should approach the Ministry of Finance and EAD for alternative sources of funding, as the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) has been significantly reduced in size over recent years and is under severe stress to meet funding needs of many high-priority national projects.
The second project, the revised “Punjab Family Planning Program” worth Rs. 4,282.350 million, was approved by the forum. Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the crucial need for provinces to exercise their devolved responsibilities fully. He expressed profound concern over Pakistan’s lagging social indicators, citing the country’s status as one of only two nations worldwide still affected by polio in embarrassing and we can’t grow with a population growth rate of 2.55%, and stressed that all social sector programs must be results-driven to make meaningful impact.
Regarding transport & communications, the revised “Karachi Urban Mobility Project (Yellow BRT Corridor)” worth Rs. 178,592.836 million was recommended to ECNEC. The project is proposed to be financed through a World Bank loan, contributions from the Government of Sindh, and private sector participation.
Approving the project, Minister Ahsan Iqbal expressed concern over the lack of progress during the past six years and directed that the project’s Cost Sharing Ratio (CSR) be reviewed and presented to ECNEC with updated details.
In the Water Resources sector, the forum approved the “Project Readiness Financing (PRF) for Punjab Water Resources Management (PWRM)” worth Rs. 1,673.328 million. This initiative is designed to enhance water resource governance in Punjab and will be jointly financed by the Asian Development Bank (96.5%) and the Government of Punjab (3.5%).
Additionally, the forum approved two other significant projects. The “Hosting Community Support Program (HCSP)” valued at Rs 2,988 million, presented by the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit Baltistan, States & Frontier Region, will focus on solarizing schools and healthcare facilities while providing essential education infrastructure.
Furthermore, a revised project from the Power Division, “Upgradation or Extension of NTDC’s Telecommunications & SCADA System” worth Rs. 50,374.200 million, was recommended to ECNEC for further consideration. This project is proposed to be financed through the Asian Development Bank and NTDC’s own resources.