ISLAMABAD
\nMinister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives (PD&SI)\/Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Professor Ahsan Iqbal chaired a meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) that approved 15 development projects worth Rs422.704 billion.
\n\u201cOut of these, six projects worth Rs 17.95 billion have been approved by the CDWP forum, while it recommended nine projects worth Rs 404.754 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for its consideration,\u201d a news release said on Sunday.
\nThe meeting was attended by Secretary Planning Awais Manzur Sumra, Joint Chief Economist (Ops), Members of the Planning Commission, as well as respective federal secretaries, representatives from federal ministries and provincial governments.
\nThe meeting took up projects related to Health, Agriculture, Environment, Manpower, Governance, Water Resources, Transport & Communication, and Science & Technology sectors.
\nThe CDWP referred a project titled \u201cEconomic Transformation Initiative, Gilgit-Baltistan Planning and Development Department, GoGB (Revised)\u201d, worth Rs 26,763.880 million, to ECNEC for further consideration.
\nProposed to be financed through foreign funding, its primary objective is to increase agriculture incomes and employment for at least 100,000 rural households.
\nThe initiative focuses on developing 50,000 acres of irrigated land, constructing 400 km of farm-to-market roads, and enhancing the value chain of apricots and potatoes, with scope for more products after a mid-term review. The programme encompasses the entire Gilgit-Baltistan region.
\nThe forum recommended another project \u201c Sindh Coastal Resilience Project (SCRP)\u201d, worth Rs 45,792.325 million, to ECNEC aimed at building climate resilience, improving livelihoods, and reducing poverty in Sindh\u2019s coastal districts: Badin, Sujawal, and Thatta.
\nIt focuses on promoting inclusive livelihoods through Climate-smart agriculture and fisheries to enhance productivity and integrate smallholder farmers and fisherfolk into value chains. Besides improving assets and employment opportunities for disadvantaged groups, including youth, women, and the landless; and ensuring community participation for sustainable outcomes.
\nThe CDWP apprved a project related to the governance sector namely \u201cKhyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Mobilization and Public Resource Management Program (Technical Assistance) (Revised)\u201d worth Rs 4713.606 million approved by the CDWP forum.
\nThe meeting also okayed the \u201cJinnah Medical Complex and Research Center (PCU part)\u201d project, worth Rs. 3110.4 million, under the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination. This phase-2 project aligns with the 5Es Framework to provide specialized healthcare at national and international levels.
\nWhile discussing the Project Coordination Unit (PCU), DCPC Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the need for a dedicated Program Management Unit with technical and administrative expertise to ensure timely completion. To this end, a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) will be established to oversee the project lifecycle, ensuring efficient planning, execution, and adherence to international standards.
\nThe forum approved the \u201cSocial Sector Accelerator (SSA) for Health, Nutrition, Education, Youth & Gender (HNEYG) \u2013 Prime Minister\u2019s Youth Internship Programme (Revised)\u201d worth Rs. 7499.804 million after detailed discussion.
\nExecuted by MoPD&SI and financed through PSDP, the program offers 30,000 paid internships to fresh graduates for six months. Interns will receive stipends of R25,000 or Rs40,000 per month, based on the revised PC-1. Upon completion, participants will be awarded certificates by their host organizations and the Ministry.
\nIt referred a project \u201cProcurement\/Manufacture of 820 High-Capacity Bogie Wagons and 230 Passenger Coaches (Revised),\u201d worth Rs70,967.944 million, to ECNEC for further consideration.
\nThe CDWP recommended one more project related to T&C sector presented namely\u201d Rehabilitation of Multan-Vehari Road\u201d worth Rs 12,886.777 million, to ECNEC.
\nBesides, a project (Revised)releated to T& C sector presented namely \u201cConstruction of Rawalpindi Ring Road\u201d worth Rs. 32,997.054 million, was referred to ECNEC. It includes constructing a 38.3 km main carriageway from Banth (N-5) to Thalian (M-2), with interchanges, bridges, flyovers, subways, fencing, toll plazas, and weigh stations. The design adheres to AASHTO highway standards and is financed through the provincial ADP.
\nA project (Revised) related to T& C namely \u201cConstruction of Khawazakhela-Besham Expressway\u201d worth Rs137,711.391 million, was referred to ECNEC.
\nThe \u201cExtension of Klm Start Point to Saggian Road and Main Ravi Bridge (Revised)\u201d project, worth Rs 12,069.7 million, was aldo referred to ECNEC.
\nThe CDWP apprved a project related to T &C sector \u201cConsultancy Services for Design and Construction Supervision of New Air Traffic Control Tower and Fire Station at Jiap Karachi\u201d worth Rs 465.500; and \u201cHiring of Consultant for RNP-AR for all-weather flight operations at Skardu, Gilgit and Chitral airports\u201d worth Rs 832.015 million. Both projects are proposed to be financed through CAA own resources.
\nThe \u201cConstruction of Mangi Dam and Water Conveyance System (Revised)\u201d project, worth Rs 18,994.65 million, was referred to ECNEC for further consideration.
\nA Sindh Government project namely \u201cSindh Early Learning Enhancement through Classroom Transformation (Revised)\u201d worth Rs 46570.56 million was referred to ECNEC.
\nThe forum okayed another project related to the IT sector namely \u201cStrengthening of MoPDSI in IT\u201d worth Rs 1334.554.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives (PD&SI)\/Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Professor Ahsan Iqbal chaired a meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) that approved 15 development projects worth Rs422.704 billion. \u201cOut of these, six projects worth Rs 17.95 billion have been approved by the CDWP forum, while it recommended nine projects worth […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-449658","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\n