A meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) Monday approved over Rs 101 billion projects for social sector, water as well as to mobilize revenue through broadening tax base with modernization of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)
The meeting chaired by Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh approved the Winder Dam Project to be constructed across Winder River in District Lasbela, Balochistan with the total cost of Rs 15,230.76 million to be completed in four years without Foreign Exchange Component (FEC), and condition that command area development and land acquisition components would be started in parallel to the main project by the Government of Balochistan.
The meeting decided that the Government of Balochistan would ensure completion of the project within approved scope and cost. In case of further revision, cost increase would be borne by the provincial government from its own resources, the meeting decided.
The Ecnec also approved Kachhi Canal Project (Remaining works of Phase-I) at District Dera Bugti, Balochistan Province at the revised cost of Rs 22,921 million without the FEC with the recommendation that there would be no deviation from scope and cost firmed by the follow up committee constituted by the CDWP.
A component of detailed engineering design/tender documents/PC-Is for phase II and phase III costing Rs 120 million has been added in the cost summary of this project, which would be actively pursued.
The Balochistan Agriculture Department would ensure resolution of land settlement issues, and development of command area of 102,000 acres to be developed by December 2020.
The meeting decided that responsibility of technical soundness of design would rest with the project consultants Nespak and no deviation from the design will be made.
The project would be completed in three years from the date of approval. The Ecnec approved Pakistan Raises Revenue Project including its Investment Project Financing (IPF) Component (for the FBR Headquarters, Islamabad) at the total cost of Rs 12,480 million with the FEC component of $80 million.
The objective of the proposed programme is to eliminate country's fiscal constraints through sustainable increasing revenues and reducing tax expenditure by broadening tax base and modernizing the FBR with advanced ICT-based operations under its transformation roadmap.
The proposed project is part of the World Bank's funded IDA soft loan of $400 million, which has two components, $320 million for result-based/Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLI)-based financing, and $80 million for its IPF.
The project envisaged up-gradation of connectivity of the FBR offices through installation of the ICT equipment at all the FBR offices, and Customs control posts for data sharing and communication.
Shaikh directed that the FBR should give a detailed presentation on the strategy for the utilization of the funds specially the DLI component and its impact on the human resource building at the FBR, in the next meeting of the ECNEC.
The meeting gave ex-post facto approval for the Development of Kartarpur Sahib corridor on EPC/turnkey basis phase-I (Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, District Narowal) at a modified cost of Rs 16546.2 million.
Lahore Water and Wastewater Management Project - Sewerage System from Larech Colony to Gulshan-e-Ravi, Lahore (Through Trench Less Technology) was also approved by the ECNEC at the revised cost of Rs 14,430.506 million.
The cost includes Rs 14,165.06 million AIIB loan ($256 million), in addition to already incurred amount of Rs 265.446 million. The project aims at comprehensive and detailed design of sanitation system for disposal of sewerage and wastewater from Larech Colony to Gulshan-e-Ravi, Lahore through trench less technology.
The project intends to ensure efficiency in safe and quick disposal of sewage/waste water by laying of trunk sewerage system and to develop a comprehensive, technically viable plan.
The Ecnec gave approval for the construction of Eastern Wastewater Treatment Plant (44MGD) of Faisalabad City (Phase-I) at the total cost of Rs 19,071.222 million was approved by the Ecnec.
The foreign component of the project includes loan and grant from the Government of Denmark (DANIDA) amounting to Rs 17,238.179 million, 35 percent of this amount is grant, and the loan component is 65 percent.
The meeting directed to set up a committee with minister EAD, and the deputy chairman Planning Commission, to prepare a mechanism for planning disbursement of necessary aid in a fair and transparent manner where all provinces have an equal chance of getting a fair share according to their developmental needs and the priorities of the government.
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