The Islamabad Development Working Party (IDWP) on Thursday approved 51 new projects for the city, including a major project of converting all 65 tube-wells of the rural areas from electricity to solar energy. The projects were approved in IDWP meeting held with Islamabad Chief Commissioner Tariq Pirzada in the chair. The other projects were related to security and the development of rural areas. The meeting was attended by Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Bin Amin, Ministry of Finance Deputy Financial Advisor Obaid-ur-Rahman, Planning and Development Division chiefs of several departments, including Water and Health, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Amer Ali Ahmed and others.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Islamabad DC Amer Ali said that after converting all the tube-wells of the rural areas from electricity to solar energy, the government could save Rs 120 million per year that had to be paid to the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) against the electricity bills of tube-wells. “Once this project is completed, the government would run the tube-wells free of cost,” he added. Meanwhile, a Chief Commissioner Office spokesman said that the projects related to water supply schemes under the Islamabad Development Package include the feasibility study for solar-based water supply schemes in the rural areas of Islamabad at an estimated cost of Rs 4 million.
The meeting also approved water supply scheme projects for several areas, including the water supply scheme in Burma at an estimated cost of Rs 25 million estimated, water supply scheme in Gulberg Town and Madina Town, Alipur, costing Rs 19.56 million, water supply scheme in Alipur Nai Abadi, costing Rs 17.80 million, extension/up-gradation of water supply scheme at Shahdra, Dhok Charhan, Mohalla Thalli and adjoining Dhokes, costing Rs 20.51 million, installation of hand pumps and strengthening existing water supply schemes in isolated villages at an estimated cost Rs 59.96 million and others.
Addressing the participants of the meeting, Islamabad Chief Commissioner Tariq Mahmood Pirzada said that the uplift of the rural areas of Islamabad was the top priority of the Islamabad Administration, adding that the government had allocated sufficient funds for development of rural areas of Islamabad.
The security-related development projects approved under the PSDP 2011-2012, were subject to clearance from the Planning and Development Division. The projects include the construction of a police station in Sector G-13 Markaz at an estimated cost of Rs 37.22 million, construction of police barracks in Sector G-13 Markaz with an estimated cost of Rs 58.33 million, construction of six police posts in Sector G-13/1, 2, 3 and 4, costing Rs 51.11 million.
The provision of laptops for the Islamabad District Courts, under the PSDP, costing Rs 2.61 million, was also approved by the IDWP, subject to rationalisation of cost of the project.
The meeting also approved projects related to the development of agriculture in the rural areas of Islamabad under the PSDP, including the development of olive vegetable nursery in Islamabad, costing Rs 22.05 million, promotion of orchard and vegetable farming in Islamabad, costing Rs 59.75 million and productivity enhancement through agriculture land development at a cost of Rs 59.11 million.
The up-gradation and expansion of veterinary healthcare services in Islamabad, costing Rs 58.45 million and improvement of milk and meat production by strengthening the artificial insemination services, costing Rs 46.23 million. Furthermore, a project relating to the establishment of computer literacy centres in 12 union councils, costing Rs 38.1 million was also approved.
The other projects were related to construction of streets, Nullahs, drains, improvement of roads, street pavements and widening of roads.
The IDWP also approved projects in the education sector, including the provision of missing facilities in FG Educational institutions in rural areas of Islamabad at an estimated cost of Rs.59.45 million, reconstruction of old block at the Model College for Girls, Golra Sharif, at an estimated cost of Rs 40.36 million.
The projects of strengthening the Islamabad Model School for Girls, Sangjani at an estimated cost of Rs 39.65 million, provision of facilities to accommodate and facilitate the students at the Islamabad Model School for Girls, Ghangi Sayedan at an estimated cost of Rs 38.98 million were also approved.
The project of promotion of sports and physical education and development of existing playgrounds in the educational institutions of the rural areas with an estimated cost of Rs 59.44 million was also approved by the IDWP.
The meeting decided to prepare umbrella PC-1 for the projects to be launched under the Islamabad Development Package for the uplift of the rural areas of Islamabad.
