ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Wednesday approved eight projects worth Rs13 billion with the aims of improving livelihoods, transport and communications, urban resources and water management.

The committee meeting, chaired by DeputyChairmanPlanningCommission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, also recommended five projects worth Rs112.20bn to the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) for consideration.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Planning Zafar Hasan as well as senior officials from the federal and provincial governments.

The CDWP approved a project worth Rs541.09 million for the improvement of livelihood and well-being of female homebased workers in Sindh.

The meeting also approved project procurement of three printing machines the Survey of Pakistan (SoP) at a cost of Rs483.64 million. The project envisages modernisation of SoP`s Lithographic Printing by replacing old machines with latest units.

A transport and communication project `Construction of Bridge over River Ravi at Mal Fatyana District Toba Tek Singh` with a cost of Rs1.9bn was also approved by the CDWP.The meeting also gave go-ahead for the construction of an auditorium at the Pakistan Academy of Letters at a cost of Rs110.47m.

A project related to food and agriculture Gwadar Lasbela Livelihoods Support Project-II (GLLSP-II) worth Rs12.33bn was referred to the Ecnec.

The GLLSP-II envisages construction of three jetties, eight hatcheries and 80 commercial net cultures in the region. 100,000 out of 133,087 households will be covered in GwadarLasbella comprising 400 villages and 45 UCs.

A health project Punjab Human Capital Investment Project worth Rs32bn was also referred to the Ecnec.

The project envisages increasing access to quality health, education and social protection services among poor and vulnerable households in 11 districts of Punjab. It aims to increase qualitative and quantitative improvement in Punjab`s Human Development Index and related indicators.

Four projects related to Physical Planning and Housing were also presented in the meeting. A project titled Construction of Eastern Wastewater Treatment Plant (44 MGD) of Faisalabad City (Phase-1) worth Rs19bn was referred to the Ecnec.-APP