CDWP approves 90 projects worth Rs305b

ISLAMABAD - The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Thursday approved 90 projects worth Rs. 305 billion including foreign aid of Rs. 76.5 billion.
The CDWP meeting was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Sardar Aseff Ahmad Ali. Representative of the sponsoring agencies, provincial governments and special areas attended the meeting.
In its Thursday’s meeting, the CDWP approved 58 infrastructure sector’s projects costing Rs 275 billion and 32 social sector’s projects costing Rs 29.7 billion.
The CDWP is authorised to approve projects costing up to Rs 1 billion and the projects over Rs 1 billion are recommended to ECNEC. The CDWP recommended 27 projects, each costing over Rs 1 billion, to ECNEC for consideration/approval.
The mega projects for Multan including construction of bridge over River Chenab from Sendeelinwali (District T.T. Singh) to Mian Channu (District Khanewal) costing Rs 3500 million, Northern Bypass, Multan (Phase-II) costing Rs 2791 million and Dualisation of Multan-Uch Road were deferred for want of additional information.
Meanwhile, the CDWP approved projects of Nuclear Power Waste Chashma (NPWC), Long Term Operation of Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (LTOK), establishment of HDIPs Mega CNG stations and National Compact Florescent Lamp Projects. These projects will help reduce acute power shortage in the country by adding additional electricity to the national grid.
The CDWP also approved a project to enhance capacity of Pakistan Post, computerisation and automation at Pakistan Post and renovation of post offices to make the department more efficient and equip it with state of the art technology.
A project of Safe City Islamabad costing over Rs 10 billion was also approved to create an effective and adequate security framework by incorporating strategies to prevent entry of unauthorised vehicles and individuals into the capital territory. It will also help strengthen the law enforcement agencies and help them monitor and control situation in preventing eventualities.
Pursuing the policy of women empowerment of the government, the CDWP approved projects for the enhancement of social status of the rural women in Sindh and AJK.
The CDWP also approved projects relating to preservation and augmentation of water resources in the country. These dual-purpose projects will be helpful in irrigation as well as energy generation
Two projects for restoration and preservation of cultural heritage of Pakistan namely ‘Restoration & Preservation of Rohtas Fort Jhehlum’ costing Rs 498 million and Preservation and ‘Restoration of Shahdara Complex of Monuments’ costing Rs 461 million were also approved by the CDWP.