CDWP okays 33 projects of Rs164b

ISLAMABAD (NNI) - The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Wednesday approved 33 projects costing about 164 billion rupees including indigenous development of a communication satellite. Its meeting held in Islamabad Wednesday was presided over by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr. Muhammad Akram Sheikh. Later, briefing newsmen spokesman of the Planning Commission Dr. Asif Sheikh said the projects cleared today included 15 infrastructure projects costing about 139 billion rupees; 12 projects of social sector costing 22.6 billion and six projects of 2.4 billion rupees relating to other sectors. He said SUPARCO would develop Pakistan Communication Satellite System at a cost of 18.8 billion rupees to replace the country's existing satellite in the orbit the life of which expires in two years. The spokesman said Mangla Dam Raising project has been completed and the reservoir would have additional capacity of 2.9 million acres of feet of water.  The project has been completed on time at a reduced cost of five billion rupees but the resettlement cost has hiked from 26 billion to 60 billion rupees, taking the overall cost of the project to 101 billion rupees. The CDWP also approved construction of 100 Delay Action Dams in Balochistan at a cost of over two billion rupees, ravamping and rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage system in Sindh at a cost of 16 billion rupees and Balochistan Effluent Disposal into ROBD costing 6.5 billion rupees. It also cleared construction of water storage dams at Shadi Kaur, Pasni, and Gwadar costing 2.6 billion rupees. The meeting also approved a project for acquisition of land for the execution of pilot project of one thousand apartments for low paid federal employees at a cost of 258 million rupees. In the energy sector, the meeting approved 16 MW and 14 MW Hydro Power Projects at Nalter in Gilgit district at a cost of about 2.9 billion rupees. In the health sector a project worth 494 million rupees was cleared for strengthening of National Tuberculosis Control Programme by ensuring uninterrupted drugs supplies. Another programme of Roll Back Malaria was approved at a cost of about 659 million rupees. The CDWP approved a project for replacement of machinery and equipment of Pakistan Security Printing Corporation and asked it to market its services to get orders for printing of currency notes for other countries. Replying to a question the spokesman said an Integrated Border Management System at a cost of 496 million rupees has been approved envisaging computerized checking of travel documents at 24 exit and entry points of the country. The CDWP) approved a project for development of second campus of Fatima Jinnah Women University Rawalpindi. The new campus, to be constructed at Chakri Road at a cost of over 475m rupees, would take care of future growth of the university. The meeting also approved another project for acquisition of land for construction of one thousand apartments for low paid federal employees.  It would cost over 258 million rupees. It gave approval for acquisition of land for construction of lawyers chambers in Islamabad at a cost of 109m rupees. Another projects approved by the CDWP was construction of Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat Building in Sector G-5 of the capital at a cost of 481 million rupees.

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