ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved on Monday a number of projects in the health and education sectors, including setting up of a Fata University at a cost of Rs1.48 billion.

The first ever major education project in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) is scheduled to be completed in five years, and it is expected to provide higher learning opportunities to around 2,000 students.

The CDWP approved another project called `Afghanistan Scholarship Programme` (ASP), at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (Lums). It will cost Rs306 million.

The ASP will be jointly funded by the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan. It will be funded outside the PSDP (Public Sector Development Programme) from the grant pledged by the government for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the neighbouring country.

Two-thirds of the cost will be incurred by the Pakistan government. The project will be completed in five years and 100 Afghan students will benefit from this.

The scholarship will cover almost all costs of stay and study, including medical and accidental insurance, whereas placement of selected students will be made by the Higher Education Commission. It has been aimed at developing people-to-people contacts between the two countries, leadership qualities among the Afghan youth and human resource for the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

The CDWP has referred a project about faculty development programme for Pakistani universities to Ecnec (Executive Committee of National Economic Council). Under this project, 2,000 teachers will be provided scholarships over the next five years.

It will be executed at a cost of Rs7.08 billion with a foreign funding of Rs3.17bn and the PSDP allocation for the current fiscal year is Rs50m.

The project will help promote research culture in universities.

After completion of their PhDs, 2,000 faculty members will enter into research-oriented jobs, leading to formation of a critical mass of high-tech researchers.

The CDWP also approved a project in the health sector, granting extension to the Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy (INOR), Abbottabad.

The expansion of the institute would enhance the capacity of quality cancer diagnostic and indoor treatment services as the number of patients are increasing steadily.

The total cost of the project is Rs473.69m with foreign funding of Rs346.62m and allocation in the PSDP 2015-16 is Rs25m. It will be completed in two years.

The project will improve the teaching, training and research facilities for doctors and medical staff at the institute.

The CDWP approved another project costing Rs1.15bn to upgrade mechanical system for sewerage and drainage services in Gujranwala.

The project is scheduled to be completed in around six months. It will have foreign funding component of Rs1.10bn, provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.