ISLAMABAD - The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Tuesday approved seven projects worth Rs6.9 billion, including one project costing Rs3.5 billion, which was referred to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
The committee also approved the provision of equipment for five Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) cancer hospitals of worth Rs1.2 billion with FEC 1.1 billion. Out of five hospitals, three are located in Punjab, one each in Karachi and Islamabad. The meeting was chaired by Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal and was attended by senior officers of the provincial governments and ministries concerned.
The minister directed the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) officials to fast track work on this project and complete it by March 2018, keeping in view the importance of the project .The project aims to procure cancer related medical equipment for five of the PAEC centres, including two at Lahore (CENUM & INMOL) and one each at Karachi (KIRAN), Bahwalpur (BINO) and Islamabad (NORI).
In addition, CDWP approved three positions papers and gave concept clearance of two projects. In water resource sector, CDWP approved payment compensation worth Rs3.5 billion to affectees of Mirani dam by the flood of 2007. In higher education sector, CDWP approved upgradation of National Institute of Science and Technical Education (NISTE) Islamabad into skill university costing Rs1 billion with FEC 276 million.
While giving his observation, the minister directed HEC officials to develop a five-year roadmap of the project and ensured to promote vocational and technical education through this university. The CDWP also approved two position papers including overseas scholarship for Ms/M.Phil leading to PhD in selected fields of worth Rs14.5 billion and science talent scheme for 1800 young students phase-1 of worth Rs1514 million.
The CDWP approved construction of official residence for speaker of National Assembly in Sector F-5/7 Islamabad of worth Rs112 million with direction to rationalise the cost. It also approved revised project of extension of Intelligence Bureau Academy at H-11/1 Islamabad of worth Rs401 million.
The CDWP approved provision of infrastructure in Quetta industrial phase-IV of worth Rs194 million. The CDWP approved widening of road from Ghumanwala to Baigpur in NA-100 district Gujranwala of worth Rs492 million. The CDWP gave concept clearance of two projects including vocational school in public private partnership project of Rs497 million and Pakistan agribusiness and agro-food industry dev-programme (PAAIAD)-UNIDO of worth Rs497 million. It also approved position paper of public sector enterprise reform project of worth Rs2.3 billion.