The Central Development Working Party on Friday cleared eight development projects with a combined cost of Rs266.55 billion, approving four schemes worth Rs10.551 billion and referring four major projects costing Rs256 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for final approval.
The meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, reviewed projects from education and training, health, power, transport and communications, devolution and area development, and water resources.
In the education sector, the CDWP recommended the revised Prime Minister’s Pakistan Fund for Education, costing Rs14 billion, to ECNEC. The minister said the programme aims to provide scholarships and Qarz-e-Hasna for talented students in fields including IT, AI, science, development economics, water resources and mining. The forum directed the Ministry of Education to submit a modified PC-I to the Planning Commission before onward submission to ECNEC.
The CDWP also approved the revised project for construction of a graduate block at the National College of Arts, Lahore, at a cost of Rs1.607 billion, to support expansion of academic programmes.
Two health sector projects were considered. The expansion of the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and National Institute of Heart Diseases, Rawalpindi, costing Rs12.948 billion, was recommended to ECNEC, with directions to explore alternative funding sources due to constraints on the Public Sector Development Programme. The revised Punjab Family Planning Programme, valued at Rs4.282 billion, was approved by the forum.
In the transport sector, the revised Karachi Urban Mobility Project for the Yellow BRT Corridor, costing Rs178.593 billion, was recommended to ECNEC. The project is proposed to be financed through a World Bank loan, contributions from the Sindh government and private sector participation. The minister directed that the cost-sharing ratio be reviewed and updated before submission.
In water resources, the CDWP approved Project Readiness Financing for Punjab Water Resources Management at a cost of Rs1.673 billion, to be jointly financed by the Asian Development Bank and the Punjab government.
The forum also approved the Hosting Community Support Programme worth Rs2.988 billion, which includes solarisation of schools and healthcare facilities, and recommended to ECNEC a revised power sector project for upgradation and extension of NTDC’s telecommunications and SCADA system costing Rs50.374 billion.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Planning Awais Manzur Sumra, members of the Planning Commission, federal secretaries, heads of provincial planning departments and representatives of relevant ministries and provincial governments.
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