ISLAMABAD  -  The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has given nod to 15 development projects worth Rs422.704 billion, including Khawazakhela-Besham Expressway worth Rs137.711 billion. The CDWP that met under Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiative and Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Ahsan Iqbal, has approved nine projects worth Rs17.95 billion, while recommended nine projects worth Rs404.754 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for its consideration. The meeting approved projects related to Health, Agriculture, Environment, Manpower, Governance, Water Resources, Transport and Communication and Science and Technology.

The CDWP referred revised project for the construction of Khawazakhela-Besham Expressway, worth Rs137,711.391 million, to ECNEC for further consideration. Financed through PSDP, it includes constructing a 48-km expressway with bridges, tunnels, retaining walls, drainage systems, toll plazas, and roadside facilities to improve regional connectivity and infrastructure. The project for the procurement/manufacture of 820 high-capacity Bogie Wagons and 230 passenger coaches (Revised), worth Rs70,967.944 million, was referred to ECNEC for further consideration. Financed through PSDP, the project addresses Pakistan Railways’ outdated rolling stock by procuring wagons and passenger coaches to enhance freight and passenger services.

Another project of Sindh coastal resilience project (SCRP), worth Rs45,792.325 million, was also referred to ECNEC for further consideration. Financed through International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the project aims to build climate resilience, improve livelihoods, and reduce poverty in Sindh’s coastal districts of Badin, Sujawal, and Thatta. The revised project for the construction of Rawalpindi Ring Road worth Rs32,997.054 million, was referred to ECNEC. It includes constructing a 38.3-km main carriageway from Banth (N-5) to Thalian (M-2), with interchanges, bridges, flyovers, subways, fencing, toll plazas, and weigh stations. The design adheres to AASHTO highway standards and is financed through the provincial ADP. A project titled “Economic Transformation Initiative, Gilgit-Baltistan Planning and Development Department, GoGB (Revised)”, worth Rs26,763.880 million, has been referred to ECNEC for further consideration. Proposed to be financed through foreign funding, the programme aims to improve incomes and reduce poverty and malnutrition in rural Gilgit-Baltistan. Its primary objective is to increase agriculture incomes and employment for at least 100,000 rural households. The initiative focuses on developing 50,000 acres of irrigated land, constructing 400-km of farm-to-market roads, and enhancing the value chain of apricots and potatoes, with scope for more products after a mid-term review. The programme encompasses the entire Gilgit-Baltistan region.

A revised project namely Khyber Pakhtunkhwa revenue mobilisation and public resource management programme (Technical Assistance) worth Rs4,713.606 million approved by the CDWP. The project is proposed to be financed through foreign funding. The meeting approved the Jinnah Medical Complex and Research Centre (PCU part) project, worth Rs3,110.4 million, under the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination. The meeting approved the Social Sector Accelerator (SSA) for Health, Nutrition, Education, Youth and Gender (HNEYG) - Prime Minister’s Youth Internship Programme (Revised) worth Rs7,499.804 million. Executed by MoPDSI and financed through PSDP, the programme offers 30,000 paid internships to fresh graduates for six months. Interns will receive stipends of Rs25,000 or Rs40,000 per month, based on the revised PC-1. Upon completion, participants will be awarded certificates by their host organisations and the ministry.

Rehabilitation of Multan-Vehari Road project worth Rs12,886.777 million, was referred by the forum to ECNEC for further consideration. The project will be financed through the provincial ADP. The Extension of Start Point to Saggian Road and Main Ravi Bridge (Revised) project, worth Rs12,069.7 million, was referred to ECNEC. Financed through PSDP, it involves modifying one existing interchange, constructing two new interchanges, and adding culverts, subways, drainage, erosion control, and toll plazas. A project for consultancy services for design and construction supervision of new Air Traffic Control Tower and Fire Station at Jinnah International Airport Karachi worth Rs465.500 and hiring of consultant for RNP-AR for all-weather flight operations at Skardu, Gilgit and Chitral airports worth Rs832.015 approved by the forum. Both projects are proposed to be financed through CAA own resources.

The construction of Mangi Dam and water conveyance system (Revised) project, worth Rs18,994.65 million, was referred to ECNEC for further consideration. Financed through a 50:50 split between Federal PSDP and Provincial ADP, the project involves building a 61-m high dam with a reservoir capacity of 36.43 MCM. Water will be conveyed to Quetta City via a 40-km pumping main and 20-km gravity main, with treatment at a plant before being distributed through an additional 10-km pipeline. The dam is located 60-km east of Quetta on the Khost River. A Sindh government project namely Sindh early learning enhancement through classroom transformation (Revised) worth Rs46,570.56 million referred to ECNEC for further consideration. The project is proposed to be financed from provincial ADP. Another project related to IT sector namely strengthening of MoPDSI IT worth Rs1,334.554 approved by the forum.