ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Wednesday approved the Southern Punjab poverty alleviation project (SPPAP)-IFAD assisted (Revised-II) at a total rationalized cost of Rs. 7,565.78 million. The project aims at increasing the household income, employment opportunities, vocational and enterprise training with focus on women, provision of low cost housing and community infrastructure development for the people of Southern Punjab, PM office media wing said in a press release. The ECNEC also granted its approval for the establishment of 200-bed center of excellence for obstetrics & gynecology at Rawalpindi (Revised) at a total rationalized cost of Rs. 5,301.41 million. Approval for the construction, land acquisition, affected properties compensation and relocation of utilities for dualization of Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road (28.4 Km) including 4 lane bridge over Sihala Railway pass, Sihala bypass & Kahuta bypass at a total rationalized cost of Rs. 13,012.13 million was also made. Moreover, the ECNEC also approved upgradation / extension of NTDC’s Telecommunication and SCADA system at a total rationalized cost of Rs. 11,638 million, construction of northern bypass of Dera Ghazi Khan (18.9 km) at a total rationalized cost of Rs. 4,874.225 million, improvement & widening of Chitral – Boomi – Mastuj – Shandur Road (153 km) at a total rationalized cost of Rs. 16,755.5 million. Approval for the construction of Ziarat Mor-Kach-Harani Road (107.2 Km) and Harnai-Sanjavi Road (55.1 Km) at a total rationalized cost of Rs. 8,379.075 million was also accorded. The project aimed at connecting Balochistan to Punjab province. The meeting also approved land acquisition, affected properties compensation and relocation of utilities for KKH Phase-I CPEC (Havelian-Thakot) project (120.12 Km) – (Revised) at a total rationalized cost of R. 12,606.62 million. Published in Daily Times, March 8th 2018.