The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Tuesday approved seven project worth Rs 6.9 billon, including one project costing Rs 3.5 billion, which was referred to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). In addition, it approved three position papers and gave concept clearance of two projects.
The meeting chaired by Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal approved provision of equipment for five Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) cancer hospitals of worth Rs 1.2 billion with foreign exchange component (FEC) of Rs 1.1 billion.
The minister directed the PAEC officials to fast track work on this project and complete it by March 2018 keeping in view the importance of the project. The project aims to procure cancer-related medical equipment for five of the PAEC centres including two at Lahore (CENUM & INMOL) and one each at Karachi (KIRAN), Bahwalpur (BINO) and Islamabad (NORI).
In higher education sector, the CDWP approved up gradation of National Institute of Science and Technical Education (NISTE) Islamabad into skill University costing Rs 1 billion with FEC 276 million. While giving his observation Ahsan Iqbal directed the HEC officials to develop a five year roadmap of the project and ensured to promote vocational and technical education through this university.
The meeting also approved two position papers including overseas scholarship for Ms/M Phil leading to PhD in selected fields of Rs 14.5 billion and science talent scheme for 1800 young students phase-1 of Rs 1.5 billion.
It also approved construction of official residence for speaker of National assembly in Sector F-5/7 Islamabad of worth Rs 112 million with direction to rationalize the cost. It also approved revised project of extension of Intelligence Bureau Academy at H-11/1 Islamabad of Rs 401 million.
In water resource sector, the CDWP approved payment compensation to affectees of Mirani Dam by the flood of 2007 of Rs 3.5 billion. It also approved provision of infrastructure in Quetta industrial phase-IV of Rs 194 million.
The meeting approved widening of road from Ghumanwala to Baigpur in NA-100 district Gujranwala of worth Rs 492 million. It gave concept clearance of two projects including vocational school in public private partnership project of Rs 497 million and Pakistan agribusiness and agro-food industry dev-programme (PAAIAD) – UNIDO of worth Rs 497 million. It also approved position paper of public sector enterprise reform project of worth Rs 2.3 billion.