ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved five development projects costing Rs11.7 billion and recommended two others with a total cost of Rs.60 billion on Friday.
The CDWP held a meeting, presided over Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr. Jahanzeb Khan and attended by Secretary Planning, Members Planning Commission, and various ministries and divisions representatives.
The approved projects encompass diverse sectors, including Energy, Climate Change, Health, infrastructure development, and Education.
The forum has approved Strengthening Technical Capacities of Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination worth Rs 316.71 million, Establishment of Directorate General of Religious Education (4th Revised) worth Rs 1,253.420m; Refugees & Host communities Regional Sub Windows SH Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Human Capital Investment Project (KP-HCIP) Education Component worth Rs33,048.029m; Installation of Wide Area Monitoring System (WAMS) for NTDC Power Network (Pilot project) worth Rs 1,349.420m, Infrastructure Rehabilitation Resilience Enhancement post-Flood 2022 (Rehabilitation/Reconstruction of Health Facilities Damaged by Flood 2022 worth Rs.1600 Million, and Peshawar Northern Bypass 32.2 Km (PC-I 3rd Revised) Rs 27,051.680m were approved by the CDWP forum. While a position paper with a total cost of Rs. 7224.42 was also cleared in principle by the respected forum.
The project, “Enhancing Technical Capacities within the Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination,” is allocated a budget of Rs 316.71 million. Its objective is to synchronize Pakistan’s climate change initiatives with its domestic development goals and enhance coordination across various levels.
PC-1 seeks to improve the technical capabilities of the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) and the Environmental Coordination (EC) to ensure an efficient response to Pakistan’s climate change challenges.
Moreover, this project is slated for integration into the Pakistan Hydromet and Climate Services Project (PHCSP) portfolio, supported by funding from the World Bank through the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF), which has already granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC).
Other projects
The CDWP has approved the project, “Establishment of the Directorate General of Religious Education (4th Revised),” with a budget of Rs 1,253.420 million. Under this initiative, all religious educational institutions (Deeni Madaris) must register with the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training (M/o FE&PT).
The Ministry will be the sole entity in Pakistan responsible for gathering data and relevant information related to these organizations. To streamline this undertaking, 16 regional offices will be set up, with the potential for expansion as required.
Deeni Madaris, which does not comply with the registration requirements stipulated by the M/o FE&PT, will not be permitted to operate. Furthermore, organizations that violate the terms and conditions of their registration will be liable to have their registration status revoked.
The Ministry will also assist registered Deeni Madaris in opening bank accounts. Furthermore, registered Deeni Madaris will be helped in seeking affiliation with the Board of Technical Education and the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, enabling their students to participate in standardized examinations for secondary and higher secondary education and technical and vocational subjects.
The “Refugees & Host Communities Regional Sub Windows SH Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Human Capital Investment Project (KP-HCIP) Education Component,” with a budget of Rs 33,048.029 million, has been approved by ECNEC.
This project is funded through foreign financing and places a distinct emphasis on enhancing access to primary and secondary education for all children, with a particular focus on girls’ education. As part of this initiative, primary schools in selected districts will transform middle schools and middle schools will be upgraded to high schools.
The “Installation of Wide Area Monitoring System (WAMS) for the NTDC Power Network (Pilot project),” valued at Rs 1,349.420 million, has received approval from the CDWP. This project is proposed to be funded through a World Bank loan and will be implemented in Jamshoro, Kashmore, Matiari, and Tharparkar districts.
CDWP has recommended the project, “Peshawar Northern Bypass, spanning 32.2 kilometers (3rd Revised PC-I) with a budget of Rs 27,051.680 million, to ECNEC.
Funding for this project is suggested to be sourced from the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP). The third revision of this project encompasses the development of a 4-lane, 32.20-kilometer bypass along with parallel service roads on the northern periphery of Peshawar city.
The project also involves the installation of lined drains between the bypass and the service roads on both sides. All unpaved tracks will be linked to the service roads, while asphalt roads will have direct connections to the bypass without median openings.
