ISLAMABAD: (APP) The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) Tuesday approved 15 projects worth of Rs 172.1 billion including seven projects costing Rs 162.9 billion which were referred to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
Major projects among the approved projects included Kachi canal project, dualization of old Bannu road and Indus Highway (N-55), and integration of health services delivery with special focus on nutrition programme.
In addition, CDWP approved three position papers which includes Integrated Transport Infrastructure Planning and Management Unit, Improving Human Development Indicators in Pakistan and establishment of Chashma Nuclear Power Project worth Rs 233.8 billion is referred to ECNEC.
The meeting of CDWP was chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Prof Ahsan Iqbal and was attended by senior officers of the provincial governments and ministries concerned.
The CDWP referred Kachi Canal project river indus at Taunsa barrage of worth Rs 80.3 billion to ECNEC.
Another significant project which was referred to ECNEC is dualization and improvement of Old Bannu Road worth Rs 17.9 billion.
The project envisages dualization and improvement of two existing sections of 2 lanes old Bannu road measuring 83 km from Gaandi Chowk to Sarai Naurang (8 km) and Domail to Krapa on N-55 (75 km).
The project will help enhancing the mobility for the underdeveloped area of district Bannu and play a vital role for development of deprived population.
The CDWP also recommended dualization and improvement of indus highway (N-55) Sarai Gambila to Kohat cost Rs 30.1 billion to ECNEC.
The project aims to enhance the mobility of the underdeveloped area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and plays a vital role for the development of deprived population.
In agriculture and food sector, CDWP approved risk based control of foot and mouth diseases in Pakistan of worth Rs 763 million.
In higher education sector, CDWP approved and referred establishment of Pak-Korea hi-tech agriculture innovation center/technology park, University of agriculture, Faisalabad worth Rs 3 billion with FEC 129 million.
In addition, CDWP also approved IT industrial innovation, research centre of Islamia college university Peshawar of worth Rs 1.5 billion and centre for mathematical sciences at PIEAS worth 819 million.
The CDWP also approved Balochistan education support project worth Rs. 1.3 billion. Moreover, Balochistan education project of worth Rs 3.5 billion has been referred to ECNEC.
In health sector, CDWP referred two projects to ECNEC worth Rs 21.7 billion which includes integration of health services delivery with special focus on MNCH, LHW and nutrition program of worth Rs 14 billion and national health Program for family planning and primary health care AJK of worth Rs 7.8 billion.
The CDWP also approved 26MW Shagharthang Hydropower Project, District Skardu worth Rs 9.1 billion.