Ecnec okays over Rs110bn infrastructure projects

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Saturday approved a series of development projects worth over Rs110 billion aimed at bolstering Pakistan’s infrastructure and enhancing resilience against climate change, just days before the government’s constitutional term is about to end. An official announcement said the committee considered and approved the Punjab Government’s ambitious project, “Developing Resilient Environment and Advancing Municipal Services (Dreams-I),” at a total cost of Rs64.48 billion ($225 million). The project will be funded through an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan of Rs51.58bn ($180m) and a local component of Rs12.89bn ($45m) contributed by the Punjab government. Dreams-I aims to improve climate resilience and living conditions for approximately 2.9m residents in Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur cities in Punjab. In a bid to promote sustainable agricultural practices, the Ecnec expanded the scope of the Prime Minister’s National Programme for Solarisation of agriculture tube wells to include the rural areas of Islamabad Capital Territory along with Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan. The Ecnec meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, approved the revised and updated “Karachi Neighbourhood Improvement project (KNIP)” of Sindh government. The project’s estimated cost amounts to Rs18.8bn ($85.610m), including a World Bank loan of Rs16.7bn ($76.067m). KNIP aims to enhance and upgrade the infrastructure in Karachi South, Korangi, and Malir districts.