A meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) was held Tuesday under the chairmanship of Minister for Planning & Development/Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Ahsan Iqbal. The meeting was attended by the sponsoring agencies and the representatives from provincial governments and special areas. The minister welcomed the participants to the first CDWP meeting of the financial year 2013-14.
In his opening remarks, Ahsan Iqbal said billions are being wasted through poor planning of projects. All departments need to exercise due diligence in preparing projects and stakeholders'' consultation must be done prior to submission of projects. He directed to set criteria in every project, ie, what were tangible outcome and what that project delivered to the state. He further ordered to strictly follow merit while recruiting human resource in projects. The CDWP is authorised to approve projects costing up to Rs 1 billion. Projects costing over Rs 1 billion are to be approved by Ecnec. Five projects costing Rs 104 billion, each costing over Rs 1 billion, were recommended by CDWP to Ecnec for consideration/approval. The CDWP approved/recommended 9 projects costing Rs 74 billion.
Energy sector: To overcome shortage of power in the country, the present government is committed to implementing important power projects on priority. Two (2) projects related to energy sector costing Rs 61 billion "Interconnection of Chashma -3 (C3) and Chashma-4 (C4) Nuclear Power Plants" with objective to install transmission line for dispersal of 630 MW net power from two new projects C3 & C4 into national grid "Combined Cycle Power Plant Nandipur" was also approved having generation capacity of 425 MW to 525 MW power generation capacity. The cost of the project has increased from Rs 22 billion to Rs 57 billion owing to mismanagement of previous government. Sharmai Hydro Power Project having power generation capacity of 150 MW was also discussed. The CDWP formulated the committee under the Chairmanship of Member (I&M), Planning Commission to review the cost of the project to be implemented on PPP mode.
Transport & communication: A project titled "Upgradation of Security Infrastructure/ Equipment at Major Airports in Pakistan (JICA Assisted)" was recommended by CDWP with grant-in-aid of Rs 1,605 million from Japan International Co-operation Agency (Jica). The objective of the project is to ensure security at the major airports of the country compatible with state-of-the-art technology set by the international community at various international airports. The project envisages provision/installation of Explosive Detection Scanning System and vehicle cargo scanning system. The minister directed that a certificate should be obtained from the suppliers that radiation from equipment meet international safety standards. Reduction in size of Lahore Airport by military regime of Musharraf claiming to have saved Rs 3 billion would now cost exchequer Rs 12 billion to meet the present demand.
Agriculture sector: A project "Punjab Economic Opportunities Programme," costing Rs 8.2 billion including foreign assistance of Rs 4.5 billion from Department for International Development from UK has been recommended by CDWP to Ecnec for consideration. The project has four components, ie, Programme Co-ordination Unit, Punjab Skills Development Funds (PSDP), Livestock Component and Technical Co-operation. The project aims to develop a competitive market for training provision, support marginalised regions through policy, direct interventions at the grass root level, skill development strategy employment - intensive growth to alleviate poverty. The project has been revised due to its extension from four Southern Punjab Districts to all over Punjab with certain modifications in the project. Project is to be financed by Government of the Punjab through its ADP.
A project "Sustainable Livestock Development for Rural Sindh" costing Rs 878 million was also approved. This project will be funded with grant of Rs 702 million from Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA). The project is to be financed by Government of Sindh through its ADP.
Other projects discussed by CDWP included "Water Supply Scheme for Hub Industrial & Trading Estate, Phase-II, (Extension) (Revised)" costing Rs 373 million, "In Country Training and Provision of Equipment for Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) (JICA Funded)" costing Rs 212 million and "Federal Government DATA Centre and Internet" costing Rs 729 million, "Capacity Building of Technical Teachers of Technical & Vocational Training Centers in Malakand Division at Peshawar and Ghazi - Haripur (JICA Assisted)" costing Rs 251 million.
The CDWP also approved five lanes each side for Kashmir Highway from Peshawar Mor to G.T Road (including construction of new bridges for the additional carriageway)". The federal Government would provide 50 percent of the cost of the project. CDA was directed to complete the project at the shortest possible time. Ahsan Iqbal directed that commercial area along Kashmir Highway should be developed to generate funds and the development should be environment friendly. He directed that rail/metro bus link provision from new airport to Islamabad should also be made. He asked chairman CDA to hold an inquiry into 500 missing computers given to CDA.-PR
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