The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Friday approved five development projects worth Rs10.022 billion and recommended four others worth Rs 213.86 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for further consideration.
The CDWP meeting was chaired by Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan and attended by Secretary Planning Awais Manzur Sumra, senior officials from the Planning Commission and federal ministries/divisions, besides related provincial governments officials.
Projects related to Food and Agriculture, Education, Energy, Physical Planning & Housing, Science and Technology, Social Welfare, Transport and Communication and Water Resources sectors were considered in the meeting.
A project related to the Food & Agriculture sector, namely the ‘Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Security Support Project,’ was presented during the meeting. The project of Rs 24,640 million has been forwarded to ECNEC for further approval.
In the CDWP forum, a project related to the Education Sector namely ‘Rehabilitation of Schools in Balochistan Affected by Flooding’ has been approved with a total cost of Rs 1400 million in the meeting.
The project aims to rehabilitate and restore schools that have been severely affected by floods, to improve schooling opportunities for students in the flood-affected areas of Balochistan.
Another project from the Education Sector presented in the forum namely “Sindh school rehabilitation project under flood restoration program” worth Rs 83187.500 million recommended to ECNEC for further consideration.
This project includes the construction of completely and partially damaged schools and the up-gradation of 62 primary schools to the secondary, middle and higher secondary levels by the construction of new blocks.
A project related to the Physical Planning and Housing sector was presented in the forum namely “Permanent settlement of IIOJK Refugees 1989 onwards (phase-1)” and approved at the cost of Rs 3096.500 million.
A project related to the Social Sector namely “Women Inclusive Finance Development Program” was presented. This project, valued at Rs 31,413.047 million, has been referred to ECNEC for further consideration. It aims to support Women entrepreneurs across Pakistan.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) is designated as the executing agency for this funding proposed to come from foreign sources, specifically ADB.
The implementation agency is the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), which will establish a Project Implementation Unit (PIU).
The PIU’s expenses will be covered by SBP’s own funds. The financing will be overseen by a steering committee led by the Executive Director of SBP, with members from relevant stakeholders.
A project related to Transport & Communications presented in the meeting namely “Improvement & Reconditioning of Noseri Leswa By-Pass road length 52-Km District Muzaffarabad Neelum, AJK” worth Rs 1622.045 million has been approved in the CDWP forum.
A project related to the Science and technology sector presented namely “Establishment of Pak Korea Testing Laboratory for PV Modules and Allied equipment (Revised)” worth Rs 1504.955 has been approved by the forum.