ECNEC approves PM’s National Health Programme Phase-II

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) Wednesday approved Prime Minister’s National Health Programme Phase-II at a total cost of Rs33,629.998 million.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired the meeting of ECNEC at the PM’s Office, a press release said.

The Prime Minister’s National Health Programme Phase-II is in line with the vision of the present government to expand and extend provision of health services across the country especially to the women and children and to reduce out of pocket expenditures on health by vulnerable segments of the society.

However, the representative of the Sindh government expressed its inability to make any financial contribution towards PM’s National Health Programme.

The meeting also approved the project of scaling up of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF-II Risk Reduction in Northern Pakistan at a cost of Rs3946.481 million.

Enhancing public private partnership in Punjab project at a cost of Rs23,478.84 million was approved by ECNEC.

The programme would provide direct financial support towards Viability Gap Fund, Project Development Fund and capacity building besides providing adequate financial resources to government departments for project identification, transaction execution and development of sustainable PPP projects.

The meeting approved establishment of Combined Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) for Industrial Areas of Karachi including laying of Interceptors Sewers at an estimated cost of Rs11,799.00 million. It was decided that the federal government’s share would be funded through PSDP.

Greater Karachi Sewerage Plan (S-III) at a cost of Rs36,117.459 million was also approved by the ECNEC. The meeting emphasized upon the need for effective monitoring of the project implementation so as to ensure interrupted and smooth implementation of the project.

The meeting approved extension in completion date for National Electronics Complex of Pakistan (Phase-I) NESCOM Islamabad.

The meeting granted approval to widening and improvement of Ghalani-Mamad Ghat road project in Mohmand Agency FATA.

Projects for rehabilitation of assets damaged as a result of riots of December 27 and 28, 2007 and during the 2010 floods were also approved at a cost of Rs10,461.104 million and Rs9,597.016 million respectively.

About projects related to water resources, the meeting approved construction of Jalalpur Irrigation Canal at a cost of Rs32,721.46 million and construction of Papin Dam project at a rationalized cost of Rs5,307.73 million.

Earlier, the prime minister also chaired a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet at Prime Minister’s Office.