ISLAMABAD: Uraan Pakistan development projects worth Rs24.385 billion have been approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) to boost key sectors and economic growth.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal chaired the session. He said these investments will drive sustainable economic growth. The approved plan involves five essential areas including education, health, governance, environment and physical planning.
Uraan Pakistan Development Projects Focus on Security and Governance
The government approved a Rs1.981 billion project to strengthen the CTD in AJK, boosting the governance sector. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal called it a key step to stabilize the region. The committee also set conditions, including the need to rationalize ammunition costs.
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In addition to that, the CDWP took into account the increasing environmental problems and gave approval for setting up an “Air Quality Monitoring Network” in Sindh province. The Rs1.418 billion project aims to improve air quality management in the province by generating critical data needed to control pollution. It is important to mention that it was subject to some further technical conditions.
Investing in the Next Generation
Education is one of the pillars of the Uraan Pakistan plan. The committee reviewed and approved two significant Daanish School projects. The first, located in ICT Kuri, carries a price tag of Rs 6.996 billion. Following strict directives from the Prime Minister, the CDWP limited this specific approval to the construction of the girls’ hostel component, prioritizing secure residential facilities for female students.
In Sindh, the committee sanctioned Rs 3.693 billion for a Daanish School in Tandoo Muhammad Khan. To maintain fiscal discipline, the Planning Commission directed officials to align the project’s costs with established benchmarks from previous Daanish School developments.
Improving Health and Infrastructure
In terms of health, there has been a new approval regarding the Revised Sindh Health Support Program worth Rs 2.266 billion. This is one case where there has been success in having a multi-level funding approach. The bulk of the financing for this program will be coming from the World Bank through Rs 2.100 billion, with the rest provided by the Government of Sindh amounting to Rs 166.458 million. Finally, the CDWP cleared two major physical planning projects to modernize the nation’s legal and correctional infrastructure. The government approved a Rs628.816 million project to build a Federal Tribunals/Courts Complex in Hayatabad, Peshawar, and allocated Rs7.399 billion for constructing a Model Prison in H-16, Islamabad.
Through this process of speeding up these clearances, the authorities hope to address the issue of infrastructure deficit. With the launch of Uraan Pakistan, these projects mark a turning point. They aim to build a stronger and more robust state framework.
