ECNEC approves mega projects relating to social sector uplift

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) Thursday approved several developmental projects of social sector uplift including communications, energy, and railways for economic uplift and social prosperity of the country, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The ECNEC met under the chairmanship of Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, said a news release issued here.

Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Revenue Tariq Mahmood Pasha, Federal Secretaries, and other senior officers from federal ministries and provincial departments also attended the meeting.

While Senior Minister P &D Balochistan Noor Muhammad Dummar, Punjab Industries Minister SM Ahsen Tanveer, Adviser to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Finance Himmayat ullah Khan, attended the meeting through zoom.

The ECNEC considered and approved ” Land Acquisition, Affected Properties, and Compensation for Rajanpur-Dera Ghazi Khan Section as 04-Lane Highway and Dualization and Rehabilitation of Dera Ghazi Khan-Dera Ismail Khan Section of N-55″project at a rationalized cost of Rs. 11,377.328 million without FEC.

The project envisages acquisition of land for up gradation/improvement/ widening of 329.7 kms long and 04-Lane wide dual carriageway, starting from Rajanpur and terminating at Dera Ismail Khan Section Indus Highway, National Highway (N-55).

The ECNEC considered and approved Reconstruction of Turbat-Mand Road from Motorway (M-8) to Iranian Border (Radeeq) project at a rationalized cost of Rs.19,571.092 million.

The revised project envisages reconstruction/improvement/upgradation of 115 km long carriageway starting from Motorway (M-8 Gwadar-Ratodero Motorway) to Kurumb (Iranian border) in Balochistan province.

The project road connects the Iranian border with the West i.e coastal Belt of the province. The project road is a part of the Southern Balochistan Development Package (SBDP).

The ECNEC also considered and approved the construction of Panjgur-Gichak-Awaran road at the rationalized cost of Rs. 27,638.751 million without FEC.

The revised project envisages the construction of a 228 kms long carriageway starting from Panjgur-Gichak-Awaran in the Southern Balochistan region.

The project road is a part of the Southern Balochistan Development Package (SBDP). The ECNEC considered and approved Diamer Basha Project-Power Generation Facilities (4500MW) at a total cost of Rs. 1,236.10 billion including FEC of Rs. 598.19 billion.

The main object of the project is to capitalize on the economical and renewable hydropower energy benefits of 4500 MW from the power generation facilities under Diamer Basha Dam project.

The project will be implemented by Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). The ECNEC considered and approved the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP), at a modified/updated cost of Rs. 17,470.750 million, funded by the World Bank IDA loan.

The project plans to ensure the improvement in digitalization efforts undertaken so far throughout Pakistan. The Ministry of IT & Telecom along with the National Information Technology Board (NITB), National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB),IGNITE and Board of Investment (BoI) will execute the project.

The Planning Commission submitted a summary regarding the Agenda for the 31st Meeting of the Steering Committee on SDG Achievement Program (SAP). The ECNEC after discussion allowed continuity of the prevailing mechanism and allowed the Power Division to approve SDGs schemes.

The ECNEC also considered and approved a summary submitted by the Planning Commission on procedure to clear pending liabilities of the closed projects.