ISLAMABAD-The cost of land acquisition and resettlement of Diamer Basha Dam Project has increased by 184 percent from Rs60 billion to 170 billion as CDWP referred the second revised PCI of the project to ECNEC for approval.
Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting on Wednesday, presided over by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, approved 8 projects worth Rs13 billion and recommended 5 projects worth Rs112.20 billion to ECNEC for consideration.
Secretary Planning Zafar Hasan, senior officials from federal and provincial governments were also present in the meeting. Projects related to Food & Agriculture, Health, Mass Media, Manpower, Industries & Commerce, Physical Planning & Housing, Transport & Communication and Water Resources were presented in the meeting.
Three projects related to Water Resources were also presented in the meeting. The first project considered by the CDWP was “Diamer Basha Dam Project Acquisition of Land and Resettlement” worth Rs20337 million and it was recommended to ECNEC for approval.
Official source told The Nation that the cost of Diamer Basha Dam Project Acquisition of Land and Resettlement has increased by 184.35 percent from Rs 60 billion to 170 billion. Originally the project for land acquisition for Bhasha dam was approved in 2008 with the cost of Rs60.051 billion, which was upward revised to 101.372 billion in 2015 and now it has been once again upward revised to Rs170,756 billion, the source maintained.The other project “Naulong Dam Project” worth Rs28465 million was referred to ECNEC. This project aims at mitigation and storing flood waters of Mula River, and thus an average of about 137.860 AF water will be annually available for developing irrigated agriculture. The last project titled “Project Readiness Financing for Punjab Water Resources Management” worth Rs1276.324 million was approved in the meeting.
A project related to Food & Agriculture namely “Gwadar Lasbela Livelihoods Support Project-II” worth Rs12,328.55 million was referred to ECNEC. The GLLSP-II envisage to constructed 3 jetties, establish 8 hatcheries and 80 commercial net cultures, 100000 out 133087 households will be covered in Gwadar-Lasbella comprising 400 villages and 45 UCs.
A project related to Health namely “Punjab Human Capital Investment Project” worth Rs32000 million was referred to ECNEC. The project envisages increasing access to quality health, education and social protection services among poor and vulnerable households in 11 districts of the Punjab to increase qualitative and quantitative improvement in Punjab’s Human Development Index and related indicators.
A project related to Mass Media was presented titled “Construction of Auditorium at Pakistan Academy of Letter” worth Rs110.469 million was approved in the meeting.
A project related to Manpower namely ‘Improvement of Livelihood and well-being of Female Home Based workers (FHBWs) in informal Economic Sector in Sindh Province” worth Rs541.086 million was approved in the meeting.
A project related to Industries & Commerce was presented namely “Procurement of 3 Nos. latest Printing Machines for Modernisation of Survey of Pakistan” worth Rs483.639 million was approved by CDWP. The project envisages modernisation of Lithographic Printing Office of Survey of Pakistan by replacement of old machines with latest printing machines.
Four projects related to Physical Planning & Housing were presented in the meeting. First project titled “Construction of Eastern Wastewater Treatment Plant (44 MGD) of Faisalabad City (Phase-1)” worth Rs19071 million was referred to ECNEC and the second project titled “Promoting Sustainable Urban development through Resilient Resources Management with a participatory Approach in Mansehra” worth Rs1040.60 million was approved in the meeting. Two projects of Interior Division “Construction of Admin Block Magazine Quarter Guard, Barracks, MT Shed, Horse Stable & Parade Ground in Diplomatic Enclave, Islamabad” worth Rs280.848 million and “Construction of Nos Police Barracks ( 100 Men each) in Sector F-7, F-8 and G-10, Islamabad” worth Rs185.416 million were approved by CDWP.
A project related to Transport & Communication was presented namely “Construction of Bridge over River Ravi at Mal Fatyana District Toba Tek Sing” worth Rs1910.737 million was approved by CDWP.