Gwadar: Rs 7.5bn approved for construction of international airport

[Naveed Yaseen]

* CDWP approves 42 projects worth Rs 107.2 billion

By Ijaz Kakakhel

ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party on Thursday approved 42 national importance projects worth Rs 107.2 billion including foreign aid component of Rs 10 billion.

The 42 projects included Construction of New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) and Allied Facilities Rs 7.5 billion including Rs 1.312 billion as FEC. The scheme envisages construction of state of the art NGIA, along with allied facilities over a piece of land already acquired measuring 4300 acres. The construction of the NGIA would be undertaken in phased programme over a 30-year period.

The airport would be developed as a green-field airport and all major components of an airport would be developed as part of this project. The officials claimed that the NGIA would be the business gateway to Pakistan through the city of Gwadar. The government had already allocated Rs 750 million in the PSDP 2009-10 for construction of the airport.

The total 42 development projects included, 27 projects in Infrastructure Sector costing Rs 49.3 billion, 13 projects in Social Sector costing Rs 57.6 billion. In addition, 2 projects relating to Commerce and Industry costing Rs 0.3 billion were approved today. Realizing the gravity and demand for energy, the government approved various projects like Establishment of 132 KV Grid Station, Bajaur costing Rs 453 million and Dargai Pall small Dam in South Waziristan Agency costing Rs 313.232 million .

These schemes would not only resolve the electricity problem of these areas but also generate employment opportunity for people of backward areas. The CDWP meeting authorized the WAPDA to undertake feasibility study of Pattan Hydro Power Project, which would generate 2800 MW of electricity.

For improvement and development of Transport Sector, Bridges across the River Indus connecting Larkana & Khairpur, linking Kandhkot located on the National Highway N-55 with Ghotki, and a bridge on River Ravi Kamalia Harrapa Rd. district Toba Tek Singh have been recommended to ECNEC at cost of Rs 17.4 billion. Construction of these bridges would provide a better link in economically backward areas and reduce the distance between major towns.

For rehabilitation of the damages in Swat and to improve the socio economic condition of the area through multi sectoral activities, i.e. provision of social infrastructure, the CDWP recommended Swat Development Package to ECNEC costing Rs 4 billion. This project would greatly help to resettle the IDPs and help generate economic activity in that area.

Population Welfare Programme, which was an on-going activity executed in all provinces, has been recommended to the ECNEC for its further extension up to year 2014 costing Rs 50 billion. The meeting, however, has set up a committee to make recommendations to devise a better delivery mechanism.

The CDWP also considered 3 concept papers namely: Disaster Management Programme Sindh, Communication System for Coastal Management in Arabian Sea (JICA) and lastly, to increase the participation of Girls Students at the Middle Schooling level and reduce drop outs in the rural area of Sindh. Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Sardar Aseff Ahmad Ali chaired the meeting. The meeting was attended by the sponsoring agencies and the representative of provincial governments and special areas.

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