Islamabad, Sep 4: Eight development projects totaling Rs. 144.3 billion were approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) during a meeting presided over by Minister PDSI and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Ahsan Iqbal.
The almost Rs. 53 billion Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital project was approved by the federal government in a hurry without the completion of the required thorough feasibility study and business plan. Despite having substantial gaps in its preparation, the project was approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP).
Of these, the CDWP forum has authorized five projects totaling Rs. 15.35 billion, and it has proposed three projects totaling Rs. 129 billion to the National Economic Council’s Executive Committee (ECNEC) for review.
Secretary Planning Awais Manzur Sumra, Additional Secretary Planning, Planning Commission Members, JCE (Ops), JCE (Ep), heads of the corresponding Federal Secretariats, and officials from Federal Ministries and Provincial Governments were present at the meeting.
Projects in the areas of education, health, higher education, transportation and communication, and water resources were discussed on the agenda.
Ahsan Iqbal thanked the Prime Minister profusely during the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting for giving him the role of Deputy Chairman for the fourth time. He emphasized the importance of the forum on development projects and the fact that CDWP approves projects costing more than one billion rupees.
Ahsan Iqbal brought attention to the fact that Pakistan’s development budget was just Rs. 1,000 billion in 2018 due to the PMLN government. Six years later, though, the nation’s economic woes stemming from the mishandled 2018–2022 era still make it difficult to even sustain this number. He emphasized that a focus on sustainable growth, currency stabilization, and economic stability through resource mobilization is necessary given the declining development budget.
The Deputy Chairman added that debt servicing accounts for more than half of all expenses. He underlined the importance of encouraging exports and widening the tax base. He acknowledged the government’s efforts to lower the inflation rate from 35 percent to 9.5 percent, but he remained optimistic in spite of these difficulties.
Ahsan Iqbal further stated that as 100% of the Federal Government’s net resources consumed by debt servicing and development budget is based on borrowing essential to ensure value for money through due diligence.
He called on all provinces and ministries to exercise the utmost caution and responsibility when planning new projects. He urged that no compromise should be made on quality while preparing PC-I documents and that national priorities should be considered when formulating any project. Poorly prepared project documents should be promptly returned to the respective ministries. The government is committed to turning around the economy by implementing the 5Es National Economic Transformation Plan and restoring 6 percent annual growth by 2029.
A project related to Education presented in the meeting namely “Reaching Out of School Children (OOSC) in AJK” worth Rs. 7,183.515 million was approved by the CDWP forum. The source of the financing is the IsDB loan.
In order to synchronize and restore the system of the Kachhi Canal Project, the project involves the restoration of flood damages from RD 0+000 to RD 1005+000. The desalting of the canal prism and earthwork have been included as components. repair of P.C.C. Canal Lining damage, repair of damaged structure, building of inlet structures, repair of subterranean water course crossing, and restoration of F.P. Bund and Embankments (IP&NIP) breaches and cuts.
The CDWP conference approved two concept papers: “Green Energy Projects Financed by KFW Bank Germany-PEECA/Gov of Punjab” and “Recovery of Maternal and Child Health Care Equipment in Flood Affected Areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” both funded by JICA.
