Central Development Working Party clears five projects worth over Rs60 billion

Dawn reports that a federal planning panel has advanced five schemes costing over Rs60 billion in total. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal chaired the Central Development Working Party, which approved three smaller schemes and recommended two larger ones for approval by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec). Under current rules, the panel may clear only schemes up to Rs7.5bn, so costlier ones go to Ecnec.

The largest item is a Gwadar water project drawing supply from Mirani Dam through a 125-kilometre pipeline. Planners cut its estimated cost by 20 per cent to Rs23.82bn, a saving of Rs5.235bn from the Rs29bn sought by the Balochistan government, with design and scope unchanged. Ecnec has been asked to approve it, subject to open technical points on the water source and land acquisition. Bidding may start, but no contract can be awarded before Ecnec approval.

The Karachi Neighbourhood Improvement Project, costed at Rs19.55bn, also goes to Ecnec, backed by an $85 million World Bank loan and Rs2.8bn from the Sindh government. Smaller approvals went to a medical and nursing college in Gilgit (Rs4.924bn), a National Defence University campus (Rs2.75bn) and a 53.4 km Orakzai road (Rs4.037bn). The minister wants funds for the Orakzai road released before winter, as work has lingered since 2016.