The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved seven development projects at an estimated cost of Rs 143.5 billion and out of them five important projects have been referred to the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) for final approval.
The CDWP met with Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal in the chair at P-Block of Secretariat. The CDWP discussed as many as eight development projects while it approved seven projects. The CDWP referred five development projects of an estimated cost of Rs 140.05 billion to ECNEC for final approval. Five projects are; Prime Minister's Youth Training Centre Scheme at the cost of Rs 26.69 billion, Punjab Agriculture Productivity Improvement at an estimated cost of Rs 67.5 billion, Extension of Water Resource in Faisalabad at cost of Rs 13.94 billion, Financial Inclusion and Infrastructure of an estimated cost of Rs 14.32 billion and one project relating to Gwadar Airport at the cost of Rs 17.6 billion.
The CDWP pended a development project at the cost of Rs 917 million relating to Ministry of National Food Security and Research. The CDWP approved two major projects of Rs 2.6 billion for Higher Education Commission, of which Rs 486.03 million for a project of the National Centre of Intelligence HEC are estimated. Ahsan Iqbal said the project cost will be reduced to less than Rs 200 million from Rs 486.03 million. He added that the project "National Centre of Artificial Intelligence" would not only help develop the best teachers in future but this project will also help Pakistan move forward in technology and research fields. The minister said that the projects be completed within 36 months.
The second approved project of HEC was establishment of New Generation Geodetic Datum of Pakistan passed with a total estimated cost of Rs 1588.42 million. The minister said that the project would encourage research and innovation in the areas of economy, society and relevance and will prove especially helpful in cooperation between science and technology, public institutions and government agencies. Ahsan Iqbal urged the participants of the meeting to complete ongoing projects on time. He said that these projects are for the future and well being of the people of Pakistan, and it is the government's responsibility to complete them soon.