ECNEC approves various projects worth over Rs 326bn

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved various projects worth over 326 billion rupees.

The ECNEC meeting chaired by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin approved dualization of Lilla Interchange at M-2 via Pind-Dadan Khan to Jhelum including two bypasses at a cost of Rs. 12.760 billion which will be completed in three years.

ECNEC also directed that the Government of Punjab will fund the land acquisition cost, horticulture charges and Provincial Revenue Authority Tax charges through its own resources.

The other key projects approved by ECNEC included the reconstruction of 115-kilometre long Turbat-Mand Road from M-8 till Iranian Border-Radeeq costing Rs. 10.461 billion It also approved the construction of Panjgur-Gichak-Awaran Road, District Panjgur/ Awaran, 228 Km Project at the rationalized cost of Rs. 14.68 billion 

The Inter-Provincial Connectivity Economic Corridor through Gilgit- Baltistan and AJK (Thallichi GB- Shounter AJK), widening and rehabilitation of Astore Valley Road with a total length 121km project was approved at the rationalised cost of Rs. 19.195 billion.

The dualization of 330.52 km Khuzdar-Kuchlak Section of National Highway (N-25) project was approved at PC-I cost of Rs. 81.582 billion The construction of 216-km Shandoor Gilgit Road was approved at the PC-I cost of Rs. 49.946 billion.

Gish Kaur Storage Dam, Sami Kallag, District Kech Project was approved at the total cost of 11.789 billion rupees. The dam will have a storage capacity of 0.04580 Million Acre Feet (MAF) and will provide irrigation facility to 13,800 acres of command area. The project is expected to completed by 2025.

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The construction of Panjgur storage dam project was also approved at the total cost of Rs12.870 billion. Ministry of Water Resources will sponsor the project which is located on Rakhshan River. The Awaran Dam project was approved at a total cost of Rs. 14.86 billion.

The establishment of University of Applied Engineering and Emerging Technologies (UAEET), Sialkot was approved at the total cost of Rs. 16.648 billion and will be financed through ADP 2021-22 of the Government of Punjab.

The Sindh School Education and Literacy Department will sponsor the project which will benefit 12 districts of the province. The project is expected to be completed in five years by April 2026. Sindh Minister Nisar Khuhro thanked the forum for the approval of the project.

The establishment of IT Park in Karachi was also approved by ECNEC at the total cost of 31.199 billion rupees. The project will be executed by Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB).

Pak University of Engineering and Emerging Technologies Phase-I was also approved in principle at the total cost of Rs. 23.551 billion. ECNEC directed that the cost of the project may be further rationalized in 3 months and ECNEC should be informed on the same.