CDWP okays Munda Dam hydropower project AMIN AHMED - File Photo Updated 2014-03-14 12:14:40 Share Email 0 Comment(s) Print ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) of the Planning Commission at its meeting here on Thursday approved the Munda Dam hydropower project, but decided to rationalise its cost of construction. Deciding to reduce its cost by 10 to 15 per cent, the CDWP meeting, chaired by Planning and Development Minister, Ahsan Iqbal, directed the Ministry of Water and Power to conduct an inquiry into the expenditures incurred so far on the project preparation. A special audit will be carried out and report be submitted to the CDWP within one month, the meeting decided. The project, costing Rs990 million, is aimed at generation of 740MW of hydropower and storage of 1.29 MAF of water. “Public money be spent prudently through a transparent mechanism as we are answerable to people for every rupee,” Ahsan Iqbal said while chairing the CDWP meeting. The CDWP considered 16 projects costing Rs66 billion, including foreign exchange component of Rs5.6bn, and approved projects worth Rs1bn. Out of the 16 projects, 12 projects involving Rs60bn were recommended to Ecnec for approval. The CDWP approved the “Economic Corridor Support Project” costing Rs743 million. Through this project, capacity building of public sector organisations will be ensured. The Central Development Working Party referred to Ecnec for approval of eight projects for augmentation and extension of 132/11 KV transformers, power distribution for Iesco, Fesco, Pesco, Hesco, Gepco, Mepco, Lesco and Qesco costing together Rs22.7bn to be funded with the assistance of Rs4.5bn from Asian Development Bank. In the physical planning and housing, CDWP approved two projects relating to construction of PNRA residential colony at Chashma at a cost of Rs466m and provision of drinking water to fishermen along the coastline of Pasni and Ormara under the Italian debt swap arrangement, costing Rs586m. The project aims to provide 0.35 MGD of water to 35,000 fisherman communities. It will be executed by the Balochistan government while funds will be provided by the federal government. In higher education sector, the working party recommended the award of 3,000 scholarships to students from Afghanistan under the prime minister’s directive. The scholarships involved an expenditure of Rs6.2bn, and Afghan students would be provided scholarships in the discipline of medicines, dental, engineering both in public and private sector universities.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 07:34:34 +0000
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