Islamabad: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved seven development projects valued at Rs. 559.766 billion during a historic paperless meeting chaired by Minister PDSI & Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Ahsan Iqbal. Out of these, three projects worth Rs. 8.23 billion received direct approval from the CDWP, while four projects, amounting to Rs. 551.536 billion, have been recommended to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for further evaluation.
According to Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives, the meeting witnessed participation from Secretary Planning Awais Manzur Sumra, Additional Secretary Planning, members of the Planning Commission, and representatives from federal ministries and provincial governments. The discussions covered projects across sectors such as Health, Manpower, Physical Planning & Housing, Transport & Communication, and Science & Technology.
In the Health sector, three significant projects were presented. The first, “Improvement of Maternal and Child Health Equipment in Flood-affected and Surrounding Areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” valued at Rs. 3147.497 million, received approval. The second project, “Prime Minister’s Programme for the Elimination of Hepatitis C Infection,” worth Rs. 67.77 billion, was recommended to ECNEC. This initiative aims to screen, test, and treat 50% of the eligible population for Hepatitis C, with a comprehensive plan for screening and treatment contingent on provincial performance metrics. The third health project, “Prime Minister’s Program for Prevention and Control of Diabetes Mellitus,” valued at Rs. 6.8 billion, also received a recommendation for further consideration. This project targets the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes, with an expanded scope to include awareness campaigns for various non-communicable diseases.
In the Manpower sector, the “Balochistan Youth Internship Program- Under Post-flood 2022 Reconstruction Program,” valued at Rs. 1820 million, was approved. In the Science & Technology sector, the “Establishment of Institute of Petroleum Technology (Revised)” project, worth Rs. 3271.307 million, received approval.
Additionally, the “Flood Response Emergency Housing Project Phase-I (2nd Revision)” in the Physical Planning & Housing sector, worth Rs. 447000 million, was recommended to ECNEC. This project aims to aid flood-affected residents in Sindh Province by reconstructing houses and infrastructure damaged by the 2022 floods, with financing proposed through foreign funding from the World Bank.
In the Transport & Communication sector, the “CAREC Corridor Development Investment Program Tranche-I Project,” valued at Rs. 29966.090 million, was also recommended for further consideration. The project includes extensive road rehabilitation and construction works, with funding proposed from the Asian Development Bank, the Government of Sindh, and the Public Sector Development Programme.
The CDWP’s first paperless meeting marks a significant step towards modernizing and streamlining project approval processes in Pakistan, reflecting a commitment to technological integration in governance.