ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Saturday greenlit several significant projects, including the revised PC-I of New Gwadar International Airport, which is slated to be operational by 2025.
The ECNEC meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the Prime Minister’s House, saw the approval of 19 out of 21 agenda items recommended by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP).
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was absent due to other commitments, but notable attendees included Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzaib, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, provincial representatives, and senior officers.
To accelerate the reconstruction and rehabilitation in flood-affected Balochistan, the forum approved four sub-components of the $400 million World Bank-funded Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Programme (IFRAP). This includes $155 million for housing reconstruction and restoration, $50 million for road infrastructure, $40 million for livelihoods, and $30 million for irrigation infrastructure. A total of Rs 11.2 billion has been allocated in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2024-25 for these reconstruction projects, with a directive for expedited and high-quality execution.
Several projects in Sindh received approval, notably the revised Flood Response Emergency Housing Project costing Rs 296 billion, including Rs 50 billion from the federal government. The PSDP 2024-25 allocated Rs 30 billion as the federal share for housing reconstruction in Sindh. The Chair reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to supporting these efforts.
Additional projects in Sindh included the Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project Phase-II and the Competitive and Livable City of Karachi initiative. The revised PC-I for the operationalization of Green Line BRTS in Karachi was also approved at a cost of Rs 13.502 billion, with recommendations for fare adjustments to reduce federal subsidies.
Other approved projects included the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the 86-km stretch of national highway (N-5) between Moro and Ranipur, electrical and mechanical works, and access roads of the Lowari tunnel at Rs 33.257 billion, and the 48 MW Jagran hydropower station at Rs 13.995 billion, expected to be completed by December 2024.
The forum extended the Sehat Sahulat Program to December 2024, directing the Ministry of National Health Services to propose sustainability and regulatory reforms by September 15. The Prime Minister’s Programme for Elimination of Hepatitis C Infection, costing Rs 68.25 billion, was also approved, with the Ministry tasked to prepare an actionable implementation plan within three months.
ECNEC further instructed the Planning Commission to review the PSDP considering the federal government’s fiscal constraints and ensure the timely completion of ongoing projects. However, the re-modified PC-I for the upgradation of Railways’ main line-1 (ML-1) was not cleared, with Pakistan Railways advised to prepare smaller, targeted projects for financing and implementation.
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