Three projects amounting to Rs 41.391 billion were approved for projects located in Sindh, two projects amounting to Rs 9.814 billion were approved for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one project amounting to Rs 11.822 billion in South Punjab, one project amounting to Rs 8.731 billion was approved in Balochistan, one project amounting to Rs 22.582 billion was approved for Azad Jammu and Kashmir, seven projects amounting to Rs 43.600 billion were approved in Punjab and one project of Rs 2.632 billion in Islamabad.
In order to streamline the procedure of approval of projects by Ecnec, the Finance Minister directed the Planning and Development Department to present projects approved by Central Development Working Party within seven days. The Ecnec directed the Planning and Development Department to come up with an integrated plan for need of transmission lines for evacuation of electricity planned to be generated by 6600MW Thermal Plants at Gaddani, 1200MW from Jamshoro, 2017MW Karachi Coastal Power Plants and other upcoming projects.
The meeting was informed that 90 percent work on Dera Ghazi Khan-Loralai transmission line has been completed while 70 percent work on Dadu-Khuzdar transmission has also been completed. As far as grid station at Dera Ghazi Khan is concerned it would be completed by April 14. Deferring the discussion on Kachhi Canal Project Phase I, Ecnec constituted a committee headed by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission with Federal Secretary Planning and Development, Chief Secretary Balochistan, Chairman Wapda, Advisor Finance Ministry and Secretary Irrigation, Government of Punjab as its members. The chairman has been authorised to co-opt any member. The committee will look into causes for the delay in the Kachhi Canal Project and suggest a way forward in its report, to the next meeting of the Ecnec, so that it could be completed expeditiously.
It was also decided that the next meeting of the Ecnec would be held before the end of next week. It was also decided that fully funded projects by provinces should be fast tracked and submitted to Ecnec on priority basis. The projects approved by the Ecnec included third 500 kV AES-Jamshoro-Moro-R Y Khan and 500 kV Moro-Dadu T/Lines, Rehabilitation of Thermal Power Station, Jamshoro, Transmission Scheme for Dispersal of Power from Neelum-Jhelum, Karot, and Azad Pattan Hydro Power Projects, 132kV New Substations, Conversion of 66kV Substations to 132kV, Associated Transmission Lines and Augmentation Sub-Projects, Mepco, 132 kV New Substations, Conversion of 66kV Substations to 132 kV, Associated Transmission Lines Sub-Project (Fesco), Construction of 132 kV Double Circuit Transmission Lines Qesco, Construction of 132 kV New Substations of Associated Transmission Lines, Extension and Augmentation Sub-Project (Iesco), Construction of 132 kV New Substations Conversion of 66 kV to 132 kV Substations and Associated Transmission Lines, Pesco, Construction of 132 kV New Substations and Associated Transmission lines, Hesco, Construction of 132 New Substations and Associated Transmission lines, Lesco, Interconnection of C3 & C4 Nuclear Power Plants, Construction of Koto Hydropower Project, Land Records Management and Information System Project, Rehabilitating Lower Chenab Canal System Part-B Project, Pakpattan Canal & Suleimanki Barrage Improvement Project and Punjab Economic Opportunities Programme.
The meeting was attended by Murtaza Jatoi, Minister for Industries and Production, Zahid Hamid, Minister for Science and Technology, Senator Pervez Rashid, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anusha Rehman Ahmed Khan, Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunications, Jam Kamal Khan, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Abdul Hakeem Baloch, Minister of State for Railways, representatives of Planning and Development of Government of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa and Balochistan, Abdul Rahim Ziarat Wal, MPA Balochistan, representative of Government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa, Minister of Finance, Government of Punjab, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Advisor to Chief Minister Sindh and senior officials of federal and provincial governments.-PR