ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led federal government on Thursday in the meeting of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved several mega projects having total cost of Rs97.64 billion as per sources.
Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh (Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance ) chaired the ECNEC meeting.
National Programme for Enhancing the Command Area in Barani Areas of Pakistan which includes construction of 2,664 farm ponds for storing rainwater from various sources and installation of solar pumping systems on farm ponds for high-efficiency operations of irrigation systems, over 4000 dug wells to promote irrigated agriculture, improvement and development of 2400 plus watercourses carrying water from various sources for enhancing water conveyance efficiency at farm level, is given green light. The total funds approved for this project are Rs25.345 billion.A project for the construction of Mandra-Chakwal road has been approved at a cost of Rs11.9 billion.
The Naulong Dam project, with the PC-I revised for the second time, (from earlier cost of Rs11.7 billion in 2009 to Rs28.47 billion) is granted, in principle, approval to enable the Economic Affairs Division to start negotiations with the Asian Development Bank for finalising details of project financing. The total cultivable command area of the project has been increased from the earlier proposed 9,900 acres to 47,000 acres while the proposed power generation capacity of the project has also been raised.
Another project approved is the Toiwar/Batozai Storage Dam project for Killa Saifullah district, Balochistan.
The operationalisation of Green Line Bus Rapid Transit and Installation of Integrated Intelligent Transport System Equipment project at a total cost of Rs11 billion is also approved.
The construction of National Electronic Complex of Pakistan, Phase-I in the H-9/1 sector of Islamabad at a revised cost of Rs16.1 billion is also given green light. The Project focuses in technology acquisition for achievement of self-reliance in research, design and manufacturing in the following fields of: 1) Information and Communication Assurance for e-Governance, 2) Early Warning Systems for Disaster Management, 3) Electronic Measures for security of National Assets, 4) Electronic Exploration of Natural Resources at Land/ Sea, 5) Designing and Fabrication of integrated Circuits and Systems on Chips , 6) Communication, displays, automation and medical systems etc. all to be completed by June 2022.