The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) will meet today (Wednesday) to discuss more than 70 development projects costing billions of rupees relating to transport and communication, energy, water resources, agriculture and food, higher education and others sectors for approval, it has learnt.

The projects worth over Rs 30 billion relating to procurement of locomotives, manufacturing and rail links would also be discussed in the CDWP meeting. The project costing above one billion would be referred to the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) for approval.

Deputy Chairman Planning Commission of Pakistan Dr Nadeem-Ul-Haque already has decided to shelve 15 capacity building projects by June 30, 2012 would also be discussed in the meeting to take final decision. The projects titled 'Establishment of Environment Section' and 'Monitoring of PSDP Financed Projects' will be treated as closed by 30th June, 2012 and their activities will be transferred to Recurring Budget of Planning and Development Division.

According to a copy of CDWP meeting agenda made available to Business Recorder, following are the projects relating to Transport and Communication sector, procurement/manufacture of 50 diesel electric locomotives of Rs 19.41 billion, Special Repair of 150 diesel eclectic locomotives to improve availability and reliability of Rs 5.01 billion, Providing Rail Link from Chaman (Pakistan) to Spinbuldak (Afghanistan (Revised) of Rs 1.1 billion, Mechanisation of Track Maintenance (Pilot Project) of Rs 4.85 billion and Construction of Bridge on River at Syedwala of Rs 1.159 billion etc.

The meeting would also discuss projects relating to Industries and Commerce including Infrastructure Development of Industrial Estate, Larkana-President's Directive of Rs 2.404 billion, Enhancement in Exhibition Halls and Additional technology Works (Expo Center Lahore Phase-ii) of Rs 955 million and FaisalabadGarmentCity (Revised) of Rs 615 million.

About energy projects, the meeting would discuss, Natural Gas Efficiency Project of Rs 30.4 billion, Up-gradation of Grid Station Dera Murad Jamali Rajhan Jamali, Usta Mohammad and Jhal Magsi with Allied Transmission Lines from 220/132 KV Dera Murad Jamali Grid Station of Rs 1.999 billion, Interconnection of Thar Coal Based 1200 MW Engor Power Plant with NTDC system of 22.04 billion and Rehabilitation of Thermal Power Station, Jamshoro of Rs 1.91 billion etc.

About Water Resources, the projects including construction of Nai Gaj Dam Project, Sindh(Revised) of Rs 59.414 billion, Naulong Dam Project of Rs 26.249 billion, Darawat Dam project Rs 13.63 billion, Lower Indus Tight Bank Irrigation and Drainage Project Stage-I, Priority Works-RBOD-I of Rs 17.498 billion, Remedial Measures to control water Logging due to Muzaffargarh & T P Link Canals of Rs 10.435 billion, Winder Dam Project (2nd Revised PC-I) of Rs 11.026 billion, Detailed Engineering Design and tender documents of Munda Dam Hydro Power Project of Rs 1.477 billion etc would also be discussed for approval.

About agriculture and food, the projects including Establishment of Agriculture Demonstration Zone in Sindh, Pakistan (PC-II) of Rs 32.94 million and promotion of Value Added Fruit Production in Gilgit-Balistan of Rs 465.533 million to be taken up.

About Higher Education, the projects including Establishment of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University Larkana of 949.747 million, Establishment of Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan of Rs 950.74 million, Extension of Education & Allied Facilities at Quaid-e-AwamUniversity of Engineering, Science and Technology, Nawabshah of RS 765.658 million and others would also be discussed in the meeting.

About the governance, the projects including Preparation Facility for Revenue Mobilization of Rs 3 million, Construction of Federal Tribunals/Courts Complex at Sector G-11, Islamabad of Rs 620.462 million and others to be taken up.

One project of Rs 2.1 billion for the development of Information Technology would also be discussed in the meeting.

Similarly, many projects relating to education, health, physical planning and housing would also be discussed in the CDWP meeting.