CDWP approves seven projects worth Rs23bn

ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Wednesday approved seven development projects worth Rs23 billion and recommended four projects to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for consideration. Among these, three projects are worth Rs82.24bn, while the fourth project, Main Line (ML-1), costing $6.7bn, has been recommended to Ecnec for further consideration. A meeting of the CDWP, presided over Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, discussed the projects of transport and communication, agriculture and food, education, energy, health, higher education, information technology and physical planning and housing sectors. The first project — upgrade of Pakistan Railways’ existing ML-1 and establishment of a dry port near Havelian with a cost of $6.7bn — has been recommended to Ecnec for further consideration. The project is proposed to be financed through foreign funding under the CPEC framework agreement.