ISLAMABAD - The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Tuesday approved 15 projects of worth Rs172.1 billion; including seven project costing Rs162.9 billion, which were referred to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

In addition, CDWP approved three position papers including the Chashma-III and IV Nuclear Power Project at Chashma worth Rs233.8 billion was referred to ECNEC. The meeting was chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal and was attended by senior officers of the provincial governments and ministries concerned.

The projects are Kacchi Canal project, dualisation and improvement of old Bannu road, dualisation and improvement of Indus Highway (N-55), and integration of health services delivery with special focus on nutrition programme. Overall, the CDWP approved 15 projects of worth Rs172.1 billion; including seven project costing Rs162.9 billion, which were referred to the ECNEC.

The CDWP referred Kachi Canal project river indus at Taunsa barrage of worth Rs80.3 billion to ECNEC. Another project which was referred to ECNEC is dualisation and improvement of Old Bannu Road worth Rs17.9 billion. The project envisages dualisation and improvement of two existing sections of two lanes old Bannu road measuring 83 km from Gaandi Chowk to Sarai Naurang (8 km) and Domail to Krapa on N-55 (75 km) .The project will help enhancing the mobility for the underdeveloped area of district Bannu and play a vital role for the development of deprived population.

The CDWP also recommended dualisation and improvement of Indus highway (N-55) Sarai Gambila to Kohat cost Rs30.1 billion to ECNEC. The project aims to enhance the mobility of the underdeveloped area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and plays a vital role for the development of deprived population.

In agriculture and food sector, CDWP approved risk based control of foot and mouth diseases in Pakistan of worth Rs763 million. In higher education sector, CDWP approved and referred establishment of Pak-Korea hi-tech agriculture innovation center/technology park, University of agriculture, Faisalabad worth Rs3 billion with FEC 129 million.

In addition, CDWP also approved IT industrial innovation, research centre of Islamia college university Peshawar of worth Rs1.5 billion and centre for mathematical sciences at PIEAS worth Rs819 million. The CDWP also approved Balochistan education support project worth Rs1.3 billion. Moreover, Balochistan education project of worth Rs3.5 billion has been referred to ECNEC.

In health sector, CDWP referred two projects to ECNEC of worth Rs21.7 billion which includes integration of health services delivery with special focus on MNCH, LHW and nutrition programme of worth Rs14 billion and national health Programme for family planning and primary health care AJK of worth Rs7.8 billion.

The CDWP approved 26MW Shagharthang Hydropower Project, District Skardu worth Rs9.1 billion. The position papers of Integrated Transport Infrastructure Planning and Management Unit worth Rs207 billion, Improving Human Development Indicators in Pakistan and establishment of Chashma Nuclear Power Project worth Rs233 billion was referred to ECNEC.