Development schemes totaling Rs. 213 billion for schools, irrigation, solar power, and additional sectors were advanced by the federal government, featuring a Rs. 69.9 billion irrigation plan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and an Rs. 85.3 billion flood control undertaking in Punjab.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal presided over the Central Development Working Party on October 26, which cleared 10 projects valued at Rs. 40.915 billion and sent three schemes totaling Rs. 172.25 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for final review.

These plans span education, water resources, power, youth development, broadcasting, and roads under the URAAN Pakistan strategy of the government.

Co-financed by the Asian Development Bank with Rs. 56.133 billion and the provincial government with Rs. 11.692 billion, the KP Resilient Irrigated Agriculture Livelihoods Development Project totals Rs. 69.893 billion. Acquisition of land will rely on a separate PC-I.

Rehabilitation of the Pehur Main Canal, extension of the Pehur High Level Canal, and building of the Mulkhow Irrigation Distribution System make up this plan to boost agricultural support and irrigation systems in the province.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council also received the Rs. 85.342 billion Integrated Hill Torrent Management project for Chachar and Mithawan in Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab. Funding includes Rs. 73.06 billion from the Asian Development Bank and Rs. 12.282 billion from the Punjab administration. Spate irrigation systems, flood channels, telemetry networks, and centralized SCADA monitoring form part of this undertaking.

CDWP Advances Education and Youth Projects

Subject to required adjustments and reviews, several youth and education schemes received in-principle clearance from the forum.

Daanish Schools across Sindh, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were approved at a cost of Rs. 122.4 million, with instructions to rationalize expenses.

In-principle approval was also granted for a Daanish School in Kuri, Islamabad, priced at Rs. 7.357 billion. Another school in Kan Mehterzai, Qila Saifullah, Balochistan, valued at Rs. 4.528 billion, won clearance subject to review by a technical committee.

Youth initiatives winning preliminary approval consist of the Prime Minister Youth Development Centers project at Rs. 4.145 billion, the first phase of the Talent Hunt Youth Sports League at Rs. 3.988 billion, the National Innovation Award at Rs. 1.97 billion, and sports academies, high performance centers, and youth Olympics at Rs. 2.956 billion.

Third-party checks will be integrated into the youth centers project, while a Pakistan Sports Board steering committee will manage the sports league across regions.

Solar Power and Broadcasting Projects Move Forward

A pilot Battery Energy Storage System for the Jhimpir-I Grid Station at 220 kV, worth Rs. 4.395 billion, received preliminary clearance in the power sector to aid grid stability and renewable energy integration.

Also cleared and referred onward was the Rs. 13.323 billion Prime Minister Solar Scheme for Newly Merged Districts, designed to deliver off-grid solar power to households.

Revamping the Pakistan Television Corporation at an estimated Rs. 3.962 billion also won preliminary approval, focusing on digital upgrades, commercial exploitation of global assets, and financial longevity.

Road Infrastructure Projects Recommended and Approved

Widening and improvement of the 39-kilometer Chakdara to Timergara stretch of National Highway N-45, Section I, valued at Rs. 17.012 billion, was sent to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for foreign financing via Exim Bank.

This highway upgrade seeks to enhance a vital transport route linking Chakdara, Timergara, Dir, and Chitral, thereby aiding regional tourism, trade, and safety.

Additionally, the forum cleared an eight-lane overhead bridge at the Imamia Colony Railway Crossing on National Highway N-5 in Shahdara, Lahore, costing Rs. 7.492 billion.

Connecting roads will be constructed and repaired under this scheme to ease traffic jams in Shahdara Town.