Daily Times

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Friday chaired a meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) that approved six development projects worth Rs 21.28 billion. The meeting, attended among others by the Secretary Planning, Chief Economist, Members Planning Commission and representatives from the various ministries and divisions, considered four projects related to the Ministry of Climate Change, Aviation Division and provincial projects, a news release said. The forum okayed the installation of a Weather Surveillance Radar at Multan (revised) at the cost of Rs 6188.759 million, the establishment of a 250-bed hospital at Skardu at the cost of Rs 6,045 million, setting up of ‘Excellence Hubs’ in the field of renewable energy at the cost of Rs 111.403 million, construction of road from Naag to Gichak,(revised) at the cost of Rs 4,255.591 million, construction of two lanes D. I. Khan at the cost of Rs3097.045 million besides establishing ‘Capacity Building & Institutional Strengthening of Planning Commission’ at the cost of Rs 2086.299 million. Sharing some details of the approved projects, it said with the construction of a 250-bed tertiary care divisional hospital on land measuring 500 kanal in Skardu city, patients of all the four districts of Baltistan region, tourists and personnel of law enforcement agencies would benefit from the modern healthcare facility at their doorsteps. Currently, there is only a 190-bed RHQ hospital in the Baltistan Division. Under a Punjab government-sponsored project, it said two excellence hubs of renewable energy for exploring new avenues in view of the demand and supply issues in the energy sector would be established. “The primary function of an Excellence Hub is the availability of trained manpower in the market by imparting technical training on RE along with the promotion of renewable energies, which includes the counseling of companies, testing of equipment and machinery in that sector, start-up support and information sharing.” Similarly, the forum approved the Construction of a road from Naag to Gichak, sponsored by the provincial government of Sindh. “The project envisages, the construction of 47.557-kilometre long a two-lane single-carriageway from Naag to Gichak, having a width of 06-meter (03-meter each lane wide) with 1.5-meter wide shoulders on each side, District Panjgur and Washuk, in the Southern Region of Balochistan Province.” The proposed road would connect Gichak with the mainstream of the National Highway (N-85), as well as with Panjgur towards the West and to the South with Awaran City. “Its connection with Awaran will provide an alternate route to reach Bela and then onwards to Karachi, the economic hub of Pakistan, through National Highway (N-25).” The scope of work included earthwork, subbase & base, pavement structures, construction of bridges and culverts. “The scope of work also includes, provision drainage & ancillary works, retaining / breast walls, along with allied structure,” it added.