The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) cleared seven projects with a total estimated cost of Rs41.34 billion.CDWP approves Pakistan Satellite Navigation Programme along with six other projects.

CDWP approves Pakistan Satellite Navigation Programme along with six other projects

A project titled ‘Feasibility and System Definition Study (FSDS) of Pakistan Satellite Navigation Programme (PSNP)’ with a cost of Rs780m was also approved by CDWP.

The meeting presided over by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, approved six projects with a combined cost of Rs16.111bn and cleared a project worth Rs25.226bn for approval of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec).

The meeting was also attended by officials of various federal ministries and the Planning Commission. Representatives of provincial governments participated via video link.

The projects taken up by the CDWP relate to health, higher education, industries and production, and information technology sectors.

In the health sector, two projects were presented in the meeting. ‘Strengthening Civil Registration & Vital Statistics System’ worth Rs201.92m was approved in the meeting. The ‘Balochistan Human Capital Investment Project’ worth Rs5.62bn was also approved.

The meeting also took up two projects related to higher education. The ‘Ph.D. Scholarship under US- Pakistan Knowledge Corridor’ worth Rs25.226bn was referred to Ecnec for approval because of the estimated cost higher than the CDWP’s financial powers. The program is expected to develop collaboration between the renowned US and Pakistani institutions for the transfer of new research techniques focused on Pakistan’s needs.

The second higher education project ‘Jalozai Campus of UET Peshawar’ worth Rs6.535bn was also approved in the meeting.

The concept papers also pertained to $9m Korean assistance to set up a Nutrition Centre to improve child and community nutrition. Others included a $75m project for pension reforms, $300m for financial markets development, $500m for resilient institutions for a sustainable economy, and $500m project for securing human investments to foster transformation.