CDWP approves five development projects worth Rs10bn

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) recently sanctioned five development projects worth Rs10.022 billion and forwarded four others, with a total worth of Rs 213.86 billion, to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for further consideration.

The CDWP meeting, chaired by Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, assessed various projects in sectors such as Food and Agriculture, Education, Energy, Physical Planning and Housing, Science and Technology, Social Welfare, Transport and Communication, and Water Resources.

Projects that gained approval include the 'Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Security Support Project' in the Food and agriculture sector, aimed at enhancing food security in the region. The 'Rehabilitation of Schools in Balochistan Affected by Flooding' project in the Education sector was also greenlit, focusing on rehabilitating schools affected by floods in Balochistan.

Moreover, the 'Sindh School Rehabilitation Project under the Flood Restoration Program' was recommended to ECNEC for consideration, focusing on reconstructing and upgrading damaged schools in Sindh. In the Physical Planning and Housing sector, the 'Permanent Settlement of IIOJK Refugees 1989 Onwards (Phase-1)' project was approved.

Another project, 'Women Inclusive Finance Development Program,' aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs across Pakistan, was referred to ECNEC for further consideration and will be funded by foreign sources, specifically the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) will serve as the implementation agency, establishing a Project Implementation Unit (PIU).

Additionally, the 'Improvement & Reconditioning of Noseri Leswa By-Pass Road' project in Transport & Communications and the 'Establishment of Pak Korea Testing Laboratory for PV Modules and Allied Equipment (Revised)' project in the Science and Technology sector were also approved during the CDWP meeting.