ISLAMABAD-The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) of the Planning Commission of Pakistan on Friday approved 79 projects costing Rs 343.470 billion including Foreign Aid component of Rs 134.986 billion. The CDWP meeting was held on Friday under the Chairmanship of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Dr. Nadeemul Haque. The meeting was attended by the sponsoring agencies and the representatives from provincial governments and Special Areas. The CDWP after due deliberation approved/recommended 79 projects costing Rs 343.470 billion including Foreign Aid component of Rs 134.986 billion. Of the 79 projects, 60 projects relate to Infrastructure Sector costing Rs 317.863 billion, 17 projects of Social Sector costing Rs 22.509 billion and two projects in other sectors costing Rs 3.098 billion. The CDWP is authorised to approve projects costing upto Rs 1.0 billion. However, 35 projects, each costing over Rs 1.0 billion, were recommended to ECNEC for consideration/approval. After 18th Amendment, the Federal government has focused on implementation of infrastructure projects, being its primary responsibility. In this sector, important projects of Transport & Communication like 'Hasanabdal - Havelian - Mansehra Expressway E-35 (110 KM) ADB costing Rs 46.8 billion, 'Lowari Tunnel and Access Roads Project Modified as a Road Tunnel costing Rs 18.1 billion, 'Rehabilitation of Track on Lahore - Lalamusa Section with New Signalling and Telecommunication System costing Rs 18.0 billion, 'Modernisation of Gaddani Ship Breaking & Recycling Industry and Development of Allied Facilities at Gaddani costing Rs 11.4 billion and Improvement and Widening of N-45 (141 km) Section-1: Chakdara - Timargara Section,2: Akhagram - Dir Section and 3: Kalkatak Chitral costing Rs 9.2 billion were considered/recommended by the CDWP. Similarly, addressing energy crisis the country, important projects like 'Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project (90 pc by World Bank 10pc by sponsors own sources) costing Rs 79.488 billion, 'Detail Design and Construction of Matiltan Hydropower Project (84mw) District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa costing Rs 15.1 billion, 'Detailed Design and Construction of Lawi Hydropower Project Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa costing Rs 12.2 billion, 'Establishment of 48 mw Jagran-II Hydro Electric Power Station (Phase-II), District Neelum in AJK (Revised) (French Loan) costing Rs 7.0 billion and 04 Grid Station located in Balochistan and Punjab were also considered. These projects will generate about 200 mw electricity after completion. For improving and conserving water resources in the country, nine projects of water sector costing over Rs 12.0 billion were considered by CDWP mainly 'Bazai Irrigation Project Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Remodelling of SMB Link Canal and Enhancing Capacity Mailsi Syphon, at Bahawalpur District and 'channelisation of Deg Nullah from Muridke-Narowal Road to Outfall (Punjab ADP). Moreover, CDWP advised the executing agencies to float projects on BoT basis to involve private sector in the development process of the country. For rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood affected areas, seven development schemes costing Rs 5.5 billion were approved. These projects include 'Construction and Rehabilitation of Road Infrastructure Damaged due to Flood and Heavy Rain 2010, 'Rehabilitation and Restoration of Water Management Infrastructure, Office Buildings Land Development and Purchase / Repair of Machinery in Flood Affected Areas of Balochistan, 'Post Flood Reconstruction / Replacement Projects in FATA (Southern FATA Communication Sector), 'Post Flood Reconstruction / Replacement Projects in FATA (Central FAT) Communication Sector (Kurram and Orakzai Agencies), 'Post Flood Reconstruction / Replacement Projects in Communication Sector FATA (Sub-Northern FATA & FRs) (Bajaur, Khyber Agencies FRs Peshawar / Kohat / Bannu and Tank), 'Rehabilitation / Reconstruction of the Damaged Caused by 2010 - Flood to Water Sector Infrastructure (Flood, Irrigation and Drainage) and 'Post Flood Reconstruction / Replacement of Projects in P.H.E Sector FATA. Physical Planning & Housing Sector projects include 'Municipal Services Delivery Programme (MSDP) in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa costing over Rs 15.0 billion to be implemented with USAID foreign assistance of Rs 13.0 billion. Twelve projects of Higher Education Commission costing about Rs 20.0 billion were approved/recommended. Main projects include: 'Indigenous PhD Fellowships for 5000 Scholars, HEC costing Rs 9.9 billion,'Master Leading to PhD Scholarship Programme (Indigenous and Overseas) for the students of Balochistan (HEC) (Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package), 'Development of Infrastructure at Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Uthal Balochistan, 'Development of Malakand University, Chakdara, Dir (Lower) (Revised) and 'Immediate Needs of the University of Science & Technology Bannu. An important project of Education Sector i.e. 'Punjab School Libraries to be funded under German Debt was also considered.