ECNEC approves seven projects worth over Rs440 bn

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council has approved seven development projects worth over 440 billion rupees for reconstruction and rehabilitation in flood affected areas of Pakistan.

The approval was granted in a meeting of the ECNEC that was held in Islamabad on Tuesday with Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar in the chair.

The Forum approved the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of N-5 from Moro to Ranipur under ADB Flood Emergency Loan, at the total cost of 36.211 billion rupees. It will be funded by the Asian Development Bank with 90 percent share while remaining ten percent share will be provided by the government of Pakistan. The Bridge component of the project consists of Bridges on National Highway Network in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The ECNEC also accorded approval to Emergency Flood Assistance Project at the total cost of 3828 million rupees. It will be funded by the Government of Balochistan and Asian Development Bank under a Loan. The project will be implemented in flood affected districts of Balochistan. The proposed project envisages restoration of flood damaged on-farm water management infrastructure for revival of agriculture production in the severely flood affected districts of the province.

The Council approved Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project at the total cost of 48,327.22 Million rupees to be fully funded by the World Bank. The project is related to the issues of water conservation, protection of infrastructure from floods and institutional reforms in various districts of Sindh province.

It also approved Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Programme, Rescue 1122 Component, with total cost of 66,002.57 million rupees.

Emergency Flood Assistance Project-  Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Irrigation,  Drainage  system and flood protection works in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, at a total cost of 15.00 billion rupees was also approved  by the forum.  The project will be funded by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Asian Development Bank under a Loan. The project is designed to rehabilitate the irrigation and flood protection system and put it back to operation for restoring agricultural productivity and protecting lives, infrastructure and properties in the flood affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The ECNEC gave green signal on the Emergency Flood Assistance Project- Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Flood affected Irrigation Infrastructure at Balochistan, at the total cost of 12,500 million rupees. It will be funded by the Government of Balochistan and Asian Development Bank under a Loan. The project envisages restoration of damaged irrigation infrastructure damaged due to recent floods in various districts of Balochistan province.

The Council approved another project, Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation Project located in over Twenty-Three districts of Sindh amounting 70,445.95 million rupees. The project envisages Creating Water and Agriculture Nexus, increased Agriculture Water Productivity, Rationalize Water requirement by encouraging water thrifty crops, Supporting farming community for crop after flood devastation, Boost up Rural economy. Besides it will push start the devastated agriculture sector after deluge of 2022 monsoons. 

The ECNEC considered revised project for the construction of Authmuqam- Sharda -Kel -Taobat road section of 109.2 Kilometer  including two tunnels at Kahori, Kamser and Challpani section of Neelum Valley road, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The ECNEC approved the revised project at the reduced scope of construction of two tunnels at the revised rationalized cost of 9,0108.050 million rupees, to be funded through Saudi Development Fund and local share of 1,122.852 million rupees to be provided through PSDP.

The ECNEC considered and approved Improving Workforce Readiness in Punjab Project at a total cost of 23.982 billion rupees, including the Government of Punjab’s share of 2.086 billion rupees and ADB’s share of 21.896 billion rupees. The project will be executed across Punjab.

The ECNEC also considered and approved a project on Strengthening Social Protection Delivery System in Sindh at a total cost of 48,300 million rupees.