STAFF REPORTER
ISLAMABAD The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved on Thursday various projects worth over Rs 82 billion. The meeting was held here with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh in the chair. The ECNEC approved the Toiwar/ Batozai Storage Dam Project District Killa Saifullah, Balochistan at the 2nd revised cost of Rs 4.9 billion. Irrigation Department Government of Balochistan will execute the project. The project will provide storage of 95,000 acre feet of water and 16,750 acres of land would be brought under cultivation. Prevention from flood damages and improvement of socio economic conditions are other benefits of the project. The ECNEC directed the government of Balochistan to ensure the completion of the project within revised approved scope and cost. The Naulong Dam Project- Updated 2nd Revised PC-I, was also given approval in principle to enable Economic Affairs Division (EAD) to start negotiation with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for finalizing details of project financing. The ECNEC also directed to constitute a committee under Minister for EAD, Minister for Planning Development and Reforms, Deputy Chairman Privatization Commission, representative from Ministry of Water and Power and Government of Balochistan to discuss the issues related with preparation of second revised PC-I of the project. The committee will give its input within two weeks time. The ECNCEC also approved operationalization of Green Line BRTS and installation of integrated intelligent transport system equipmentupdated modified PC-I at the total cost of Rs 10.9 billion with Rs 53.16 billion as Foreign Exchange Component (FEC). The project of National Electronic Complex of Pakistan, Phase 1 in H-9/1 sector Islamabad was also approved at a revised total cost of Rs16.1 billion. Out of this total budgeted cost Rs 13.4 billion has been provided by China as loan and grant. The Project will help in technology acquisition for achievement of self-reliance in research, design and manufacturing in the various fields including information and communication assurance for e-Governance, early warning systems for disaster management, electronic measures for security of national assets, electronic exploration of natural resources at land and sea, designing and fabrication of integrated circuits and systems on chip, and communication, displays, automation and medical systems. It is expected that the project would be completed by June 2022. Likewise the ECNEC also approved National Program for enhancing the command area in barani areas of Pakistan at a total cost of Rs25.345 billion. The project scope includes construction of 2,664 farm ponds for storing rainwater from various sources and installation of solar pumping systems on farm ponds for operation of high efficiency of irrigation systems, development of 4,156 dug wells to promote irrigated agriculture, development and improvement of 2,432 watercourses carrying water from various sources for enhancing water conveyance efficiency at farm level and building other beneficial infrastructures and provision of useful equipment for farm land develECNEC approves projects worth over Rs82 billion Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chairing the meeting of ECNEC at Cabinet Division. opment, and dualization and improvement of Mandra-Chakwal Road Project ( 2nd Revised) at districts Rawalpindi and Chakwal at total cost of Rs. 11.9 billion.
