ECNEC approves projects worth billions of rupees

May 27, 2021: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council has approved various energy, infrastructure, irrigation, and health projects at a cost of billions of rupees.

The ECNEC, which met in Islamabad on Wednesday with Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin in the chair, approved the Gomal Zam Multipurpose Project at a cost of around 26 billion rupees. The project is aimed at harnessing the flood water and provide assured irrigation water supply of 848 cusecs to irrigate 191,139 acres of land including 28,053 acres additional land which falls under the Waran Canal System and to generate 17.4 megawatt of electricity.

Sindh Component of COVID-19 response and other natural calamities control program was approved at the total cost of over 20.82 billion rupees. The Project will be completed on equally shared financing basis by the Government of Sindh and the Federal government through PSDP. The project envisages strengthening of provincial health system to effectively respond to the pandemic like situations.

ECNEC also gave approval to the 30 MW Hydro Power Project Ghowari at an expenditure of over 16 billion rupees. The Project is located on the left bank of Shayok River near Ghowari Village in District Ghnache in Gilgit Baltistan. The 20 MW Hydro Power Project Hazel, Gilgit costing around 13 billion rupees.

Approval was granted to the Rainee Canal Project costing over 20 billion rupees to irrigate 412,400 acres in the first phase at a design discharge of 5500 cusecs in districts of Kashmore, Ghotki, Sukkar and Khairpur.

The ECNEC approved construction of Hoshab-Awaran-Khuzdar Section of M-8 Project at a cost of over 32 billion rupees. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Roads Rehabilitation Project "Under PKHA Portfolio" costing over 28 billion rupees was also approved. Besides, approval was granted to the feasibility and dualization of Mardan-Swabi Road at cost of over 13 billion rupees.

The ECNEC also approved construction of 306 kilometer-long six-lane Hyderabad- Sukkar fenced motorway on Built Operate Transfer basis at a cost of over 191 billion rupees. The project is expected to be completed in 30 months.

Radio Pakistan