The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) is likely to take up 48 new development projects worth Rs 120.844 billion when it meets here on July 16. The projects are related to transport and communication, mass media, energy, water resource development, population welfare, health, physical planning and housing, environment, education, science and technology, food and agriculture, women development and manpower sectors, it is reliably learnt.
Official source told Business Recorder here on Saturday that among all proposed projects, the highest were of transport and communication sector worth Rs 33.62 billion followed by health sector (Rs 22.26 billion).
Construction, improvement and widening of 644km road from Wana (South Waziristan) to Khar (Bajawar) would cost Rs 4.738 billion. In healthy sector: Enhanced HIV/AIDS programme in Sindh (Rs 516.64 million); prevention and control of hepatitis (Rs 2.594 billion); Rs 11.47 billion expanded programme of immunisation and control of diarrhoeal disease with foreign exchange component of Rs 4.108 billion; Rs 1.325 billion 400 bed women hospital and chest disease centre at Rawalpindi including a foreign exchange component of Rs 106 million; National Programme for Preventive and Control of Blindness in Pakistan 2005-10 (Rs 2.775 billion); establishment of accident, emergency and ancillary services complex at Karachi Civil Hospital (Rs 1.438 billion); Rs 636.67 million tuberculosis control programme including a foreign exchange component of Rs 607 million; and Rs 1.5 billion technical assistance for Punjab Devolved Social Services with foreign exchange component of Rs 173.4 million.
A project relating to higher education is also there for approval with Rs 767.185 million ie Purchase of Land at sector I-12 for Educational Village. Besides, a project worth Rs 2.52 billion is for Science and Technology development up-gradation/Extension of Pinstech Laboratories (Phase-II).
Agriculture and food projects worth Rs 4.86 billion are Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project Rs 4.07 billion, including Rs 574 million of FEC; second project is Community Development Project for Rehabilitation of Salt Affected and Water logged Lands Rs 795.519 million, including Rs 265.153 million FEC.
For women development and manpower projects of Rs 2 billion will be put up for Ecnec approval, these are Restructuring of Technical Education and Vocational Training System Project (NWFP) Rs 723.664 million, including Rs 182.635 million FEC, and Restructuring of Technical Education and Vocational Training System Project (Balochistan) Rs 1.281 billion.