CDWP clears four projects worth Rs139bn

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Thursday cleared four development projects with an estimated cost of Rs138.66 billion in the areas of transport & communications, energy and physical planning and housing including a cross-border road project. The CDWP meeting presided over by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr Jehanzeb Khan approved one project on its own at an estimated cost of Rs2bn and recommended three others worth Rs136.66bn to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for formal approval. Under the current financial rules, the CDWP is empowered to itself approve projects costing up to Rs7.5bn while the projects of higher estimated costs are approved by Ecnec on the recommendations of the CDWP after clearance on technical grounds.