CDWP likely to take up 43 projects worth Rs 199.077bn

[LRE]

CDWP likely to take up 43 projects worth Rs 199.077bn

* Foreign exchange component of projects amounts to Rs 116.419bn

By Ijaz Kakakhel

ISLAMABAD: The first meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CWDP) in the current financial year 2008-09 on Sept 18 is likely to take up 43 development projects worth Rs 199.077 billion including foreign exchange component (FEC) worth Rs 116.419 billion.

The CDWP can only approve projects costing up to Rs 500 million and projects costing above this limit must be approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). So the CDWP will recommend projects costing above Rs 500 million to ECNEC for further approval.

Planning Commission Deputy Chairman M Salman Faruqui will preside over the meeting over projects for 13 sectors including: agriculture and food, devolution and area development, education, water resources, energy, environment, forestry and wildlife, governance, health, Higher Education Commission (HEC), information technology sector, social welfare and transport and communication.

Some of projects of national importance in the CDWP are: Chasma Nuclear Power Project units 3 and 4 worth Rs 139.011 billion, establishment of 43.5 MW Jagran Hydropower Station (Phase-2) in District Neelum AJK worth Rs 5.003 billion with Rs 2.222 billion as FEC, agriculture sector development loan project Phase-II worth Rs 10.029 billion, Indus Water Sector Capacity Building and Advisory Services Project (WCAD) with a cost of Rs 2.546 billion.

The CDWP agenda, obtained by Daily Times, shows that the agriculture and food sector consists of three projects worth Rs 10.289 billion. The devolution and area development sector consist a single project, namely “Strengthening of FATA Levies Training Centre, Jamrud, Khyber Agency” worth Rs 439.500 million having Rs 395.470 million as Foreign Exchange Component (FEC).

The education sector has two projects worth Rs 479.934 million. The agenda shows six projects for water resources sector with a total cost of Rs 11.364 billion with FEC Rs 2.546 billion.

The energy sector consists of eight projects worth Rs 150.589 billion including Rs 102.766 billion as FEC. The environment sector consists of four developmental projects worth Rs 1.956 billion with Rs 1.039 billion FEC. The CDWP agenda further revealed that the forestry and wildlife sector has a single project namely, “Rehabilitation of denuded forest areas through sowing and planning and development of farm/social forestry with community participation in Northern areas” with a cost of Rs 170.869 million having Rs 1.200 million as FEC.

The governance sector consists of three projects worth Rs 6.163 billion with Rs 190 million as FEC. The health sector has two projects worth Rs 1.707 billion with Rs 787.500 million FEC.

The Higher Education Commission has six development projects with a total cost of Rs 4.129 billion having Rs 1.681 billion as FEC. The information technology sector has a single project namely, “IT training for the elected lady representatives: Phase-II” worth Rs 97.288 million. The social welfare sector also has a single project namely, “Communication for effective social services delivery (CESSD): A community participation project, Phase-II” worth Rs 560.500 million with Rs 560.500 million as FEC.

The last sector transport and communication has five development projects worth Rs 12.888 billion with Rs 6.450 billion as FEC.


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