The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved as many as 11 uplift projects and referred 14 to the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) after reviewing 37 projects, costing Rs 159.6 billion. Two projects out of 37 were concept clearance proposals. Ten development projects mostly relating to energy out of 14 were referred to Ecnec, as Asian Development Bank (ADB) is the donor agency and loan for these projects would be negotiated on November 28-29.
Planning Commission Spokesman Ishfaqullah Khan told Business Recorder that today (Thursday) meeting of the CDWP chaired by Deputy Chairman Dr Nadeem-ul-Haq discussed 37 projects costing Rs 159.6 billion of which 11 were approved and 14 were recommended to ECNEC while 09 projects were deferred, 02 withdrawn by the sponsors and 01 project was not approved.
He said of the approved 11 projects 08 were of energy sector, one water resources and one project was of National Highway Authority. While giving details of the Projects, the Spokesman of the Planning Commission said that the CDWP discussed 17 projects worth Rs 73.3 billion of energy sector and 07 projects of Rs 30.5 billion were related to water resources. He said that the meeting also discussed 05 projects costing Rs 48.4 billion relating to Transport and Communication sector, 03 projects of Rs 4.2 billion relating to Physical Planning and Housing, one project of Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Rs 7.7 million and one project costing Rs 4.9 million of Information Technology.
He said similarly the CDWP also discussed one project each relating to Agriculture and Environment sectors costing Rs 917 million and Rs 227 million, which were concept clearance proposals. He said that one project costing Rs 590 million of industries sector was withdrawn. Answering to a question, he said that meeting was not cancelled because we are in a hurry, as negotiations for obtaining loan from Asian Development Bank for uplift projects is scheduled for November 28-29.