ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved Rs173.625 billion projects for different sectors.
The ECNEC meeting presided over by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday considered and approved a World Bank-funded project of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives titled, “Resilient Housing Reconstruction and Restoration in all districts of Balochistan” at a cost of Rs43,400 million.
The project is to be executed by the Government of Balochistan through Federal PMU and provincial PIU to support communities to reconstruct their houses affected by floods in 2022 in Balochistan province. The entire cost will be borne by the federal government.
ECNEC approves six projects worth Rs110.3bn
The ECNEC also considered a project of the Board of Revenue (BoR) regarding “Punjab Urban Land Systems Enhancement Project (PULSE)“at an updated cost of Rs26,440.704 million, to be fully financed by the World Bank. The project is to be executed by the Punjab BoR through Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA) in the province.
A project of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan titled, “Establishment of Regional Grids in Gilgit-Baltistan Phase-I (Revised)” was also considered and approved with rationalised scope and cost of Rs9,148.509 million with FEC of Rs1,679.274 million.
The project will be executed by W&P Department, Gilgit-Baltistan in districts, Gilgit, Hunza, and Skardu. The Ministry of Communications submitted a summary regarding the project, “Dualisation of road from Chistan to Chak no 46/3R via Dahrnawala (41.154 km) including two-lane Link Road from Dahrnawala to Chaki 175m (4.859 km)” to be executed in District Bahawalnagar of Punjab Province by National Highways Authority and Ministry of Communications. The project was approved by the ECNEC at a total cost of Rs8,962.982 million without FEC on 50:50 cost-sharing basis between the federal government and the Government of Punjab with the condition of confirmation of Punjab Government cost share.
A project submitted by the Ministry of Water Resources, namely, “Construction of Awaran Dam (Revised)” was also submitted for the approval of ECNEC. The project was approved at a cost of Rs23,579.263 million without FEC. It will be executed in District Awaran of Balochistan by the Irrigation Department, Government of Balochistan.
Moreover, the project is to be financed through the federal and provincial governments on 80:20 cost-sharing basis.
Another project of the Ministry of Water Resources regarding, “Construction of Panjgur Dam in District Panjgur, Balochistan” was also approved by the ECNEC at a revised cost of Rs22,340.59 million without FEC. The project is to be financed by both federal and provincial governments on 80:20 cost-sharing basis. This project will also be executed by the Irrigation Department, Government of Balochistan in District Panjgur.
A project of the Government of Sindh regarding “Construction/Re-construction of Existing Schools in Sindh affected under Rain/Flood 2022 in Sindh (1800 units)” was also considered and approved at a cost of Rs12,338.294 million with 50:50 cost-sharing basis between the federal government and the Government of Sindh with the condition to fulfil the uncompleted observations in accordance with the decision of CDWP.
The project is to be executed by School Education and Literacy Department (SE&LD), Sindh in various districts of Sindh. The project is to be financed through the PSDP (2023-24).
Lastly, an already approved project of the Government of Sindh, namely, “Sindh Solar Energy Project (SSEP)” with an updated cost of Rs27,418.13 million was also reconsidered. The meeting was updated on the site of implementation of the project and substantially savings in the electricity units.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, SAPM on Finance Tariq Bajwa, federal secretaries, and other senior officers from federal ministries and provincial departments.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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