ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has evaluated 13 key development projects, of these, 10 projects valued at Rs. 40.915 billion were approved by the forum, while 3 major projects with a combined value of Rs. 172.25 billion were recommended to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for final consideration.
The planning body met here on Monday under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Ahsan Iqbal.
Secretary Planning, Chief Economist, VC PIDE, Members of the Planning Commission, Federal Secretaries, Heads of Provincial Planning and Development Departments, and senior representatives from relevant federal ministries and provincial governments attended the meeting.
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The approved and recommended projects span critical sectors including Education and Training, Higher Education, Mass Media, Power, Transport and Communications, and Water Resources. These initiatives directly support the government’s URAAN Pakistan vision, focusing on human capital development, institutional modernization, infrastructure enhancement, and sustainable, inclusive growth.
In the Water Resources sector, two mega climate-resilient infrastructure projects were recommended to the ECNEC.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Resilient Irrigated Agriculture Livelihoods Development Project, valued at Rs. 69,893 million, will be co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) contributing Rs. 56,132.50 million and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa contributing Rs. 11,691.90 million, with land acquisition separately funded through a dedicated PC-I.
The project aims to rehabilitate the Pehur Main Canal, construct the Mulkhow Irrigation Distribution System, and extend the Pehur High Level Canal. Lastly, the Integrated Hill Torrent Management (Chachar– Mithawan) project in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts, worth Rs. 85,342.110 million, was recommended to ECNEC. Co-financed by the Asian Development Bank contributing Rs. 73,060 million and the Government of Punjab contributing Rs. 12,282.11 million, this initiative will implement modern spate irrigation, flood protection channels, telemetry systems, and centralized SCADA monitoring to strengthen regional water security.
In the Education and Training sector, the CDWP considered three major initiatives to expand quality educational access. The forum approved in principle the establishment of Daanish Schools across Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh at a cost of Rs. 122.400 million, with instructions to rationalize project costs. Similarly, the establishment of a Daanish School in ICT, Kuri, Islamabad, costing Rs. 7,357.233 million, was approved in principle to expand educational infrastructure in the federal capital.
Additionally, the establishment of a Daanish School in District Kan Mehterzai, Qila Saifullah, Balochistan, valued at Rs. 4,527.838 million, was approved in principle, with a technical review committee under the Member Infrastructure designated to streamline project parameters.
In the Higher Education sector, four key youth development initiatives were processed. The Prime Minister’s Youth Development Centers project, valued at Rs. 4,144.854 million, was approved in principle, incorporating third-party validation and structured monitoring frameworks to ensure effective resource utilization.
The forum also approved the Prime Minister’s Talent Hunt Youth Sports League (Phase-I), worth Rs. 3,988.056 million, where a steering committee under the Pakistan Sports Board will coordinate efforts across all provinces and regions. Furthermore, the forum approved the Prime Minister’s National Innovation Award, valued at Rs. 1,970 million, alongside the Establishment of Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Sports Academies (High Performance and Resource Centre) and Youth Olympics, worth Rs. 2,955.927 million, to foster talent and modern sports infrastructure.
For the Mass Media sector, the forum approved in principle the Revamping of PTVC at an estimated cost of Rs. 3,962.250 million. The project emphasizes modernizing public broadcasting through digital transformation, international asset commercialization, and long-term financial sustainability.
In the Power sector, two significant energy initiatives were evaluated. The CDWP approved in principle the installation of a Pilot Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at the 220 kV Jhimpir-I Grid Station, valued at Rs. 4,394.720 million, to support grid stabilization and renewable integration.
In addition, the Prime Minister’s Solar Scheme for Newly Merged Districts, valued at Rs. 13,323 million, was approved in principle and referred to ECNEC to provide off-grid solar energy solutions to households in merged districts.
In the Transport and Communications sector, the forum recommended the Improvement and Widening of National Highway N-45, Section-I (Chakdara–Timergara, 39 km), costing Rs. 17,012.323 million, to ECNEC. To be financed through foreign funding via Exim Bank, the project will upgrade a vital transport corridor linking Chakdara, Timergara, Dir, and Chitral, significantly boosting trade, road safety, and tourism across the Kalash, Shandur, and Kumrat valleys. Additionally, the CDWP approved the construction of an 8-lane overhead bridge at Imamia Colony Railway Crossing, Shahdara (N-5), valued at Rs. 7,492.050 million, which includes the construction and rehabilitation of connecting link roads to alleviate urban congestion in Shahdara Town, Lahore.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026