News Analysis |
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Monday approved 11 development projects worth Rs 235bn under the authority of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
This time it is the KPK, who dominated the list of developments projects approved by Mr. Dar. Out of the 11 projects, some big development activities are expected to hit the underdeveloped regions of KPK.
With the metropolitan city of Karachi, the only district included from Sindh, fewer shares have been allocated for the province of Sindh, with no mention of Baluchistan in the list of projects at all.
Other provinces have been given the small chunks of development money in this recent scheme by the federal government.
With the metropolitan city of Karachi, the only district included from Sindh, fewer shares have been allocated for the province of Sindh, with no mention of Baluchistan in the list of projects at all. Moreover, the council also subsided the two projects that were aimed for the AJK earlier, perhaps on the account of incurring a high cost.
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On the other hand, the list also includes development projects for the Punjab when compared in terms of benefits transferred to the layman has got more weightage to projects directed for other provinces.
The Ecnec also approved the Peshawar Metro Bus project at a downward revised cost of Rs 49.4 billion. The provincial government has already obtained Rs 335 million loan from the Asian development bank to complete the project within one year.
Among the highlights, the project approved includes construction of the Peshawar Sustainable Bus Rapid Transit Corridor and Prime Minister’s Youth Skills Development Project.
The Ecnec also approved the Peshawar Metro Bus project at a downward revised cost of Rs 49.4 billion. The provincial government has already obtained Rs 335 million loan from the Asian development bank to complete the project within one year. The 26km long route with 450 air-conditioned buses is expected to compliment 500,000 passengers daily in the area.
Other than this the authorities at a much higher revised cost, also sanctioned the Koto Hydropower project by KPK government. The project will cost Rs 14 billion, which is 59% up from its original cost when it approved earlier in 2013.
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The KPK healthcare sector will also improve in terms of service delivery since the government has sanctioned project worth Rest 13.9 billion for the Integration of Healthcare Service Delivery.
The construction of roads will ease the drudgeries of regular commuters on these roads while minimizing the probability of deadly accidents.
Rest 14bn Bannu road dualization project by the National Highway Authority was also given a go ahead. The project will be completed in three packages. The first package includes a 40 km long road constructed from Domail to Khurrum and another 35kn long road from Khurrum to Trapa. Also in the third package, an 8 km long road will be constructed from Gaandi Chowk to Sarai Nurang.
The construction of roads will ease the drudgeries of regular commuters on these roads while minimizing the probability of deadly accidents.
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Other crisps of the package include PM youth development projects worth Rs 6.19 billion and approximately 100,000 youth aspirants will be trained for demand driven market skills for three to six months. A 236-bed children hospital in Bahawalpur was also made part of the scheme.
For Sindh and Karachi, the project is aimed at increasing opportunities for public- private partnership. Also, the Integrated Neighborhood Development Project was approved for Karachi.
Road extension projects in Thokar Niaz Baig Lahore to Multan (160 km) and Jaglot- Skardu road were also included. Also irrigation department Punjab was given the preference in the list, which included a mega development project in which funds are allocated for the development and rehabilitation of almost 6000 canals irrigated water courses, provision of 6000 laser facility to farmers for field leveling with the installation of drips and sprinkle irrigation system on the 120,000 acres of land.
For Sindh and Karachi, the project is aimed at increasing opportunities for public- private partnership. Also, the Integrated Neighborhood Development Project was approved for Karachi.
Also, these projects have the potential for future developments in Sindh including Karachi but the metropolitan city of Karachi with its, deteriorating conditions is in a more horrible state than conceived, which demands some emergency development measures to bring in place the basic infrastructure first on which to base future and more sophisticated development.
With KPK dominating the list, it can be hoped that it would help address grievances of the KPK for not being given the required share of development in the schemes by the federal government.
Surprisingly, the development projects in Baluchistan were not given the much-needed preference. Also, these projects have the potential for future developments in Sindh including Karachi but the metropolitan city of Karachi with its, deteriorating conditions is in a more horrible state than conceived, which demands some emergency development measures to bring in place the basic infrastructure first on which to base future and more sophisticated development.
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The development of roads is essential but it seems that only the commuters are going to benefit everywhere from these 11 projects.