The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) of the Planning Commission on Monday cleared 11 development projects, costing Rs 41.6 billion. The meeting was presided over by Planning Commission deputy chairman Aseff Ahmed Ali. The CDWP conceptually cleared the big project of "Construction and planning of Rural Access Roads" in the country costing Rs 30 billion.
The Party advised the Ministry of Local Government to negotiate aid with the development partners and prepare PC-1 for the consideration of CDWP/Ecnec. Representatives of the federal and provincial governments, and special areas ie AJK, NA, FATA attended the meeting.
Other 10 projects costing Rs 11.6 billion mainly relate to Education, Health, Information Technology, Industries & Commerce, minerals and Environment. The projects include NCHD program worth Rs 6 billion in the education sector, construction of a hangar at heliport Islamabad at a cost of Rs 349 million, two projects for Nadra in the IT sector worth Rs 482 million.
Two projects in the health sector include a 120-bed hospital for Pakistan Rangers in Karachi and establishing a 150-bed hospital in Pulandri, AJK, at a cost of Rs 591.4 million. A project worth Rs 462 million is planned for Islamabad to develop a Shahdara complex of monuments and an inland navigation project worth Rs 450 million has also been approved by the CDWP.
In the industries and commerce sector, CDWP approved Rs 411 million project Restructuring of Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development capacity building. The CDWP also directed the ministries and all stakeholders that while preparing projects efforts should be made to avoid undue expenditures on project delivery.