ISLAMABAD: The Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Shaukat Tarin, chaired the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today at the Cabinet Division.
The meeting was participated by Minister for Power Hammad Azhar, Adviser to PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Adviser to PM on Institutional Reforms and Austerity Dr Ishrat Hussain.
ECNEC approved the following projects:
Dualization of Lilla Interchange (M-2) via Pind-Dadan Khan to Jhelum including Bypass (02 number) 128 KM, District Jhelum. The project was approved at the total rationalized cost of Rs12.760 billion. The scope of work includes the construction of 2 bypasses, bridges over nullahs, culverts and retaining/ breast/ toe walls. The project will be completed in 3 years. ECNEC also directed that the Government of Punjab will fund the land acquisition cost, horticulture charges and Provincial Revenue Authority Tax charges through its own resources.
Reconstruction of Turbat-Mand Road from M-8 till Iranian Border-Radeeq, length-115 Km Project was approved at the total rationalized cost of Rs10.461 billion. The project is expected to be completed in 2 years by the Communication Department of Balochistan (as a part of the South Balochistan Package). The project starts from Gwadar- Ratodero Motorway to Kurumb (Iranian Border) in Balochistan Province.
Construction of Panjgur-Gichak-Awaran Road, District Panjgur/ Awaran, 228 Km Project was also approved at the rationalized cost of Rs14.68 billion. The project was approved after deleting the security cost, land acquisition cost, reduction of design consultancy charges from 1.6 percent to 1 percent excess in quantities. The Government of Balochistan will make security arrangements for the project and acquire land through its own resources. The release of PSDP funds for the project will be conditional to the Government of Balochistan allocating a minimum road maintenance budget of Rs5 billion for FY 2021-22 and onwards for its provincial highway network.
Interprovincial Connectivity Economic Corridor Through Gilgit- Baltistan and AJK (Thallichi GB-Shounter AJK), widening and rehabilitation of Astore Valley Road, Package i-iv 103 KM, Package iv-vii 18 KM, and total length 121 KM (package I to V& VII) Project was approved at the rationalized cost of Rs19.195 billion. Ministry of Kashmir Affairs & Gilgit Baltistan is the sponsoring agency of the project which is expected to be completed in 3 years.
Dualization of Khuzdar-Kuchlak Section of National Highway (N-25), 330.52 Km Project was approved at PC-I cost of Rs81.582 billion. The project will be constructed through Districts Khuzdar, Surab, Kalat, Mustang, Quetta, Kuchlak, Balochistan. National Highway Authority will be the executing agency.
Construction of Shandoor-Gilgit Road, 216 Km Project was approved at the PC-I cost of Rs49.946 billion. The project road is located in Gilgit- Baltistan Province and will be executed by National Highway Authority.
Sindh Early Learning Enhancement through Classroom Transformation Project was approved at the estimated cost of Rs27.162 billion. The Sindh School Education and Literacy Department will sponsor the project which will benefit 12 districts of Sindh province. The Project is expected to be completed in 5 years by April 2026. Nisar Ahmad Khuhro specially thanked the forum for the approval of the project.
Gish Kaur Storage Dam, Sami Kallag, District Kech Project was approved at the total cost of Rs11.789 billion. The dam will have a storage capacity of 0.04580 Million Acre Feet (MAF) and will provide an irrigation facility to 13800 acres of command area. The Project is expected to complete by 2025.
The Construction of the Panjgoor Storage Dam Project was also approved at the total cost of Rs12.870 billion. Ministry of Water Resources will sponsor the project which is located on the Rakhshan River.
The Awaran Dam Project was approved at a total cost of Rs14.86 billion. The project will be sponsored by the Ministry of Water Resources; the Irrigation Department Government of Balochistan will execute the Project.
The Establishment of the University of Applied Engineering and Emerging Technologies (UAEET), Sialkot, Punjab was approved at the total cost of Rs16.648 billion and will be financed through ADP 2021-22 of the Government of Punjab.
The Establish of IT Park, Karachi, was also approved by ECNEC at the total cost of Rs31.199 billion. The project will be executed by Pakistan Software Export Board.
Pak University of Engineering and Emerging Technologies (PUEET) Phase I was approved in principle at the total cost of Rs23.551 billion. ECNEC directed that the cost of the project may be further rationalized in 3 months and ECNEC should be informed on the same.
