ISLAMABAD-Central Development Working Party (CDWP) Wednesday approved four projects worth Rs16.02 Billion and recommended Phase-II of Pak-China OFC project for Establishment of Cross Border Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) Network (Khunjrab-Gwadar-Karachi) along with China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Routes worth Rs37.91 Billion to ECNEC for approval.
CDWP meeting chaired by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan agreed on the COVID-19 Responsive and Other Natural Calamities Control Program worth Rs70 billion. Additional Secretary Planning, senior officials from Planning Commission and Federal Ministries/Divisions also participated in the meeting while representatives from provincial governments participated through video conference. The forum approved four projects worth Rs16.02 billion and recommended one project worth Rs37.91 billion to Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for consideration.
CDWP agreed with the recommendations of the committee for the project titled “COVID-19 Responsive and Other Natural Calamities Control Programme” worth Rs70 billion with proposed changes. The PC-1 of this project will facilitate the national program to improve facilities at 50:50 basis financial supports to all the Provinces in District headquarters/Tehsil headquarters level hospitals, public health surveillance separately for both human and animals, a national program for Water Sanitation and Hygiene and improvement in Local Infrastructure. AJK and GB will also be covered under the project financing.
Projects related to Physical Planning & Housing, Health, Education and Information Technology were presented in the meeting. A project related to Physical Planning & Housing titled “Construction of Islamabad High Court Building at Islamabad (Revised)” worth Rs4,989.26 million approved in the meeting. The project aims at construction of Islamabad High Court on an already acquired plot measuring 220,000 Sft at sector G-5, Islamabad. The scope of works includes the construction of courts, auditorium, car parking, road/paths, plumbing works and woodworks etc. Two projects related to education presented in the meeting. First project namely “Support to Basic Education Development Project AJ&K” worth Rs5,971.55 million and second project titled “Basic Education for All Project AJ&K” worth Rs1,580.201 million were approved by CDWP.
A project related to Information Technology presented in the meeting namely “Phase-IIof Pak-China OFC project for Establishment of Cross Border OFC Network(Khunjrab-Gwadar-Karachi) along with China- Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC) Routes” worth Rs37,915.899 million was referred to ECNEC for further approval. The objective of the project is to provide an alternate path for International connectivity through Northern border of Pakistan with China, to provide continuous uninterrupted connectivity between Northern and Southern borders of the country by establishing multiple rings for secure and uninterrupted communication network etc. The second project namely “Establishment of National Aerospace Science & Technology Park” worth Rs3,481.584 million was approved in the meeting. 
Two Position Papers related to Industries & Commerce approved in the meeting namely “Establishment of Hub Special Economic Zone” worth Rs2,287.844 million and “Remodeling and Expansion of Karachi Expo Center” worth Rs2,677.42 million were approved. A Position Paper related to Water resources presented namely “Nai Gaj Dam” worth Rs46,555.29 million was also approved. The project envisages construction of 194 ft high Central Core earth Fill Dam with a gross storage capacity of 0.30 Million Acre-Feet and live storage of 0.16 MAF to irrigate 28,800 acres of land. 
CDWP also approved four Concept Clearance Proposals namely “Electricity Distribution Efficiency Improvement project”, “National Firewall System”, “National Social Media Application” and “Establishment of Pak-Korea nutrition Centre to improve Child and Community Nutrition”.