ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved eleven projects of worth over 234 billion rupees. The approval was granted in ECNEC meeting held in Islamabad today with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the chair. The projects approved today include 40.8 MW Koto Hydropower Project in Lower Dir at a cost of over 13 billion rupees, enhancing Public Private Partnerships in Sindh of worth over 19 billion, Integration of Health Services Delivery in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at a cost of over 13 billion rupees, and establishment of Children Hospital at Bahawalpur at cost of over five billion rupees. The projects also include Karachi Neighborhood Improvement Project and Karachi Transformation Project of worth over 10 billion rupees, improvement, upgradation and widening of Jaglot-Skardu Road at a cost of 32 billion rupees, and improvement and widening of additional 2-lanes on either side of Thokar Niaz Baig to Hudyiara Drain Multan Road in Lahore costing over ten billion rupees. Peshawar Sustainable Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project of worth 49 billion rupees, Punjab irrigated-agriculture productivity improvement Project costing over 67 billion rupees, Prime Minister’s Youth Skill Development Program worth over six billion, and Karachi Neighborhood improvement and Karachi Transformation Project of worth over 10 billion rupees were also approved by the ECNEC. Published in Daily Times, July 11th , 2017.