ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday approved 16 projects worth Rs 132.06 billion.
The ECNEC meeting was held here at the Prime Minister’s Office with Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar in the chair. Of the total 16 projects, 12 projects related to the energy sector amounting to Rs.96.484 billion, including construction of 31.17 MW Koto Hydro Power Project at an estimated cost of Rs.7.508 billion.Three projects amounting to Rs.41.391 billion were approved for Sindh, two projects amounting to Rs.9.814 billion for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one project amounting to Rs.11.822 billion for South Punjab, one project amounting to Rs.8.731 billion for Balochistan, one project amounting to Rs.22.582 billion for Azad Jammu and Kashmir, seven projects amounting to Rs.43.600 billion Punjab and one Rs.2.632 billion project for Islamabad.
In order to streamline the procedure of approval of projects by ECNEC, the Finance Minister directed the Planning and Development Ministry to present projects approved by Central Development Working Party (CDWP) within seven days.The ECNEC further directed the Planning and Development Department to come up with an integrated plan for need of transmission lines for evacuation of electricity planned to be generated by 6600MW thermal plants at Gadani, 1200MW from Jamshoro, 2017MW Karachi Coastal Power Plants and other upcoming projects. The meeting was also informed that 90% work on Dera Ghazi Khan-Loralai transmission line has been completed while 70% work on Dadu-Khuzdar transmission has also been completed.
A grid station in Dera Ghazi Khan would be completed by April 14 next year, the ECNEC was told.Deferring the discussion on Kachhi Canal Project Phase I, the ECNEC constituted a committee headed by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission with Federal Secretary Planning and Development, Chief Secretary Balochistan, Chairman WAPDA, Advisor Finance Ministry and Secretary Irrigation, Government of Punjab as its members.
The ECNEC authorized the Chairman to co-opt any member. This committee will look into causes of delay in the Kachhi Canal Project and suggest a way forward in its report, to the next meeting of the ECNEC, so that it can be completed expeditiously It was also decided that the next meeting of the ECNEC would be held before the end of next week.It was also decided that the projects fully funded by the provinces should be fast tracked and submitted to the ECNEC on priority basis.
The projects approved by the ECNEC included third 500 KV AES – Jamshoro Moro-R.Y, Khan and 500 KV Moro-Dadu T/Lines, Rehabilitation of Thermal Power Station, Jamshoro, Transmission Scheme for Dispersal of Power from Neelum-Jhelum, Karot, and Azad Pattan Hydro Power Projects, 132KV New Substations, Conversion of 66KV Substations to 132KV, Associated Transmission Lines and Augmentation Sub-Projects, MEPCO, 132 KV New Substations and Conversion of 66KV Substations to 132 KV, Associated Transmission Lines Sub-Project (FESCO).
It also approved construction of 132 KV Double Cireuit Transmission Lines QESCO, Construction of 132 KV New Substations of Associated Transmission Lines, Extension and Augmentation Sub-Project (IESCO), construction of 132 KV New Substations Conversion of 66 KV to 132 KV Substations and Associated Transmission Lines, PESCO, Construction of 132 KV New Substations and Associated Transmission lines, HESCO, Construction of 132 New Substations and Associated Transmission lines, LESCO, Interconnection of C3 & C4 Nuclear Power Plants, Construction of Koto Hydropower Project, Land Records Management and Information System Project, Rehabilitating Lower Chenab Canal System Part-B Project, Pakpattan Canal & Suleimanki Barrage Improvement Project and Punjab Economic Opportunities Programme.
The meeting was attended by Murtaza Jatoi, Minister for Industries and Production, Zahid Hamid, Minister for Science and Technology, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ms. Anusha Rehman Ahmed Khan, Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunications, Jam Kamal Khan, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Abdul Hakeem Baloch, Minister of State for Railways, representatives of Planning and Development of Government of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, MPA Balochistan, Representative of Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Minister of Finance, Government of Punjab, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Advisor to Chief Minister Sindh and senior officials of federal and provincial governments. – APP
