ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Monday approved 17 development projects worth Rs18.8 billion and recommended nine projects worth Rs594.5bn to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec)for approval.

The approved projects related to energy, transport and communication, science and technology, health, population planning, industries and commerce, food and agriculture and education.

The water resources ministry presented the position paper of the Dasu hydel power project due to increased land and compensation cost from Rs19 billion to Rs36 billion with the total cost of Rs510 billion which was approved and referred to Ecnec for consideration.

Chaired by Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar, the meeting was attended by Secretary of Planning Zafar Hasan and senior officials from the federal and provincial governments.

The national food, security and research ministry presented five projects `productivity enhancement of wheat`worth Rs31987.4 million;`productivity enhancement of rice` worth Rs15809.620 million; `productivity enhancement of sugarcane` worth Rs5019.589 million, `national oilseeds enhancement programme (NOEP)` worth Rs10167.25 million and `cage culture cluster development project` worthRs6582 million-which were referred to Ecnec for consideration.

Three projects and a position paper related to the energy sector were presented during the meeting. The first project `upgrade of POL testing facilities of HDIP at Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Quetta and ISO Certification of Petroleum Testing Laboratory at Islamabad` worth Rs293.614 million was presented and approved.

The second energy project to be executed in Awaran district is construction of 132kV grid station at Mashkay and 132kV STD NalMashkay transmission line (120km) worth Rs1193.39 million. Both were approved.

The third project 500kV Moro Grid Station worth Rs5404.19 million to be executed in Naushahro Feroze district was presented and recommended to Ecnec for consideration.

The project related to transport and communication sector `construction of Groyne Wall/Break Water and allied works at East Bay (DemiZer)Gwadar`worthRs1019.519 million was also approve d.

In the science and technology sector, four projects were presented before the CDWP. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) presented two projects `strengthening and development of physical and technological infrastructure at the University of Haripur` worth Rs1546.960 million and `livestock sector development through capacity building, applied research and technology transfer, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences` worth Rs1905 million. The meeting approved both projects.

The science and technology ministry presented two projects -`establishment of Pak-Korea Testing Laboratory for PV Modules and Allied Equipment` worth Rs1385.429 million and `upgrade of Polymers and Plastics Laboratory atPCSIR Laboratories Complex, Lahore` worth Rs140.249 million which were also approved.

Three health-related projects were presented by the national health, services, regulation and coordination ministry relating to the `Treatment of Cancer Patients of ICT, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan` worth Rs4772.150 million which were recommended to Ecnecforconsideradon.

The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission presented two projects `upgrade of Atomic Energy Cancer Hospital-KIRAN` worth Rs2342.790 million and `upgrade of diagnostic and therapeutic facilities at BINO, Bahawalpur` worth Rs1377.176 million which were also approved.

Three projects related to population planning were presented by the national health, services, regulation and coordination ministry. Projects `population welfare programme, Gilgit-Baltistan` worth Rs422.621 million, `population welfare programme, AJ&K` worth Rs355.512 million and `population welfare programme, Fata (erstwhile)` worth Rs184.317 were approved till June 2019.

Four projects related to industries and commerce were presented to the CDWP. The commerce division presented `remodelling and expansion of Karachi Expo Centre (Component-II)` worth Rs2677.42 million which was given approval. The industries and production ministry presented three projects `handicraft export development project` worth Rs385.226 million, `industrial designing and automation centres (IDAC)` worth Rs1470.88 million and `footwear cluster development worth Rs78.7 million and were approved in the meeting.

The education ministry requested extension of `establishment and operation of basic education community schools in the country` till June 2019 worth Rs4629.742 million which was referred to Ecnec for consideration.