CDWP clears one development project, recommends another to ECNEC

ISLAMABAD: The Planning Commission's Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Monday cleared one development project with a cumulative estimated cost of Rs0.634 billion and recommended one project worth Rs20.53 bn to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for further consideration.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan. Secretary Planning Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, senior officials from the Planning Commission and federal ministries/divisions also participated in the meeting while representatives from provincial governments participated through the video conference. Projects related to health and water resources were presented in the meeting.

A project related to health, “Social Health Protection Phase-II”, worth Rs634 million was approved by the CDWP. The project envisages social health protection for the district of Gilgit-Baltistan, including medicines, general surgery, orthopedics, gynae and obstetrics, pediatric, ophthalmology and ENT with coverage up to Rs25,000 per member of the beneficiary household per year.

A project related to water resources, “Rainee Canal Project (Phase-I)”, worth Rs20,533,836 million was referred to the ECNEC for further consideration.

The project envisages construction of 174-km-long canal, having 609-km long distribution system to irrigate a total cultivable command area of 412,400 acres in the districts of Kashmore, Ghotki, Sukkur and Khairpur. The CDWP directed MoWR to hand over the project to GoS, along with agreed O&M cost. The GoS was directed to ensure the command area development.

The CDWP cleared three Concept Clearance Proposals -- “Provision of Equipment and Personnel Training, Provision to Airport Security Forces and Pakistan Civil Aviation Industry Corporation of China International China” worth Rs3272,509 million, second Concept Clearance namely “Rehabilitation/Upgradation of Rawal Lake Treatment Plan, Old Transmission Pipe and Water Testing Laboratory, including Equipment” worth Rs3921,47 million and the third Concept Clearance namely “National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for Covid-19 vaccine 2021, Pakistan Preparedness and Response Plan for Covid -19” approved by the CDWP.

The deputy chairman Planning Commission directed the MoNH for ensuring all necessary arrangements for timely purchase and vaccination programme, including arrangements and training of workforce to address the Covid-19 pandemic as per the international standards.