PSDP for 2017-2018: Rs 94.1 billion released for 42 CPEC-related projects

The federal government has released Rs 94.1 billion (50.24 percent) for 42 China Pakistan Economic Corridor-related development projects under Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) against the total budgeted allocation of Rs 187.3 billion for 2017-18.
The CPEC-related development projects are of various sectors including Aviation Division, National Highway Authority (NHA), Finance Division, Information Technology and Telecom Division, Interior Division, Planning Development and Reforms Division, Port and Shipping Division, Railway Division and Water and Power Division (power sector).
For Communication Division (NHA) projects, the government has released Rs 85.8 billion for 12 out of 18 development projects against Rs 169.5 billion budgeted allocation so far. Out of eight projects of Pakistan Railway, Rs 5.8 billion have been released for six development projects out of the budgeted allocation of Rs 8.1 billion. The government has released Rs 225 million for two projects of the Information Technology and Telecom Division against the budgeted allocation of Rs 354 million.
The government has yet to release funds for the projects of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms, Industries Production Division, Aviation Division and Higher Education Commission.
The funds released for Communication Division (NHA) projects in this fiscal year include: (i) Rs 30.44 billion for construction of Hakla on M-I to Yarik on DI Khan Motorway (CPEC); (ii) Rs 45 billion for Lahore-Abdul Hakeem Section (230km); (iii) Rs 800 million for dualisation of Yarik-Mughalko-Zhob section of N-50 (210km) CPEC Western Alignment including Zhob Bypass and land acquisition; (iv) Rs 500 million for construction of Burhan-Havelian Expressway (E-35), 59.1-km; (v) Rs 5.914 billion for improvement and widening of Jagiot-Skardu Road (S-1, 167 km); (vi) Rs 1 billion for land acquisition and affected properties compensation for construction of Burthan-Hakla to DI Khan Motorway; (vii) Rs 1 billion for widening and improvement of N-85, Hoshab-Nag-Basima-Surab Road (459km); (viii) Rs 350 million for rehabilitation of DI Khan-Mughal Kot, 50km section ,N-50); (ix) Rs 250 million for Multan-Sukkur section (387km) and; (x) Rs 250 million for Zhob-Mughal Kot road (81km, N-50).
About Pakistan Railway projects, the government has released: (i) Rs 123.92 million for doubling/improvement of existing track from Port Qasim to Bin Qasim Section; (ii) Rs 82 million for comprehensive feasibility study of upgradation/rehabilitation of Mainline-1 (ML-I) and new dry port at Havellian, district Haripur; (iii) Rs 30 million for CPEC support project at Ministry of Railways; (iv) Rs 32.61 million for PC-II for feasibility study to connect Gwadar with Karachi and feasibility study from Gwadar to Jacobabad via Khuzdar; (v) Rs 30 million for feasibility study for up-gradation and extension of ML-III in connection with CPEC and; (vi) Rs 5.5 billion for preliminary design/drawings for up-gradation/rehabilitation of Main Line (ML-I) and establishment of dry port near Havelian.
For Port and Shipping Division, the government has released Rs 244.2 million for four out of six projects against Rs 5.5 billion budgeted allocation. The government has released Rs 180 million for construction of Eastbay Expressway, Rs 36 million for feasibility study for construction of breakwater, Rs 18.212 million for establishment of CPEC Support Unit (CSU) for projects and activities in GPA and Rs 10 million for Pak-China Technical & Vocational Institute at Gwadar.
The government released Rs 1.9 billion for one project, Necessary Facilities of Fresh Water Treatment, Water Supply Distribution of Finance Division. A total of Rs 90.5 million out of Rs 452.42 million have been released for construction of 132-kV grid station at Gwadar port and the associated 132-kV D/C transmission line.
The government is yet to release any funds for the NHA development projects of Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab section (200-km) of the Gwadar-Ratodero Road (892-km), M-8, including Khuzdar-Shahdadkot-Ratodero (143-km), improvement and widening of Jagiot-Skardu Road (S-1, 167km), Gilgit-Shandoor-Chitral-Chakdara Road and Mirpur-Mangla-Muzaffarabad-Mansehra Road.
Nothing has been released for the airport project of the Aviation Division against the budgeted allocation of Rs 1 billion. However, the Chinese government is giving a grant for New Gwadar International Airport project.