CDWP approves development projects worth Rs 422.7b

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal chaired a meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) that approved 15 development projects worth Rs422.704 billion, ARY News reported.

“Out 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,” a news release said on Sunday.

The 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.

The meeting took up projects related to Health, Agriculture, Environment, Manpower, Governance, Water Resources, Transport & Communication, and Science & Technology sectors.

The CDWP referred a project titled “Economic Transformation Initiative, Gilgit-Baltistan Planning and Development Department, GoGB (Revised)”, worth Rs 26,763.880 million, to ECNEC for further consideration.

Proposed to be financed through foreign funding, its primary objective is to increase agriculture incomes and employment for at least 100,000 rural households.

The 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.

The forum recommended another project “ Sindh Coastal Resilience Project (SCRP)”, worth Rs 45,792.325 million, to ECNEC aimed at building climate resilience, improving livelihoods, and reducing poverty in Sindh’s coastal districts: Badin, Sujawal, and Thatta.

It 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.

The CDWP apprved a project related to the governance sector namely “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Mobilization and Public Resource Management Program (Technical Assistance) (Revised)” worth Rs 4713.606 million approved by the CDWP forum.

The meeting also okayed the “Jinnah Medical Complex and Research Center (PCU part)” 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.

While 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.

The forum approved the “Social Sector Accelerator (SSA) for Health, Nutrition, Education, Youth & Gender (HNEYG) – Prime Minister’s Youth Internship Programme (Revised)” worth Rs. 7499.804 million after detailed discussion.
Executed 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.

It referred a project “Procurement/Manufacture of 820 High-Capacity Bogie Wagons and 230 Passenger Coaches (Revised),” worth Rs70,967.944 million, to ECNEC for further consideration.

The CDWP recommended one more project related to T&C sector presented namely” Rehabilitation of Multan-Vehari Road” worth Rs 12,886.777 million, to ECNEC.

Besides, a project (Revised)releated to T& C sector presented namely “Construction of Rawalpindi Ring Road” 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.

A project (Revised) related to T& C namely “Construction of Khawazakhela-Besham Expressway” worth Rs137,711.391 million, was referred to ECNEC.

The “Extension of Klm Start Point to Saggian Road and Main Ravi Bridge (Revised)” project, worth Rs 12,069.7 million, was aldo referred to ECNEC.

The CDWP apprved a project related to T &C sector “Consultancy Services for Design and Construction Supervision of New Air Traffic Control Tower and Fire Station at Jiap Karachi” worth Rs 465.500; and “Hiring of Consultant for RNP-AR for all-weather flight operations at Skardu, Gilgit and Chitral airports” worth Rs 832.015 million. Both projects are proposed to be financed through CAA own resources.

The “Construction of Mangi Dam and Water Conveyance System (Revised)” project, worth Rs 18,994.65 million, was referred to ECNEC for further consideration.

A Sindh Government project namely “Sindh Early Learning Enhancement through Classroom Transformation (Revised)” worth Rs 46570.56 million was referred to ECNEC.

The forum okayed another project related to the IT sector namely “Strengthening of MoPDSI in IT” worth Rs 1334.554.