ECNEC approves digital economy enhancement project at Rs 17.4b cost

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP) at an updated cost of Rs 17.470 billion.

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired the meeting of the ECNEC on Thursday.

The ECNEC considered and approved the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP) at a modified/updated cost of Rs 17.470 billion funded by the World Bank IDA loan.

The project plans to ensure the improvement in digitization efforts undertaken so far throughout Pakistan. The Ministry of IT & Telecom along with NITB, NADRA, PITB, IGNITE and Board of Investment (BoI) will execute the project.

The ECNEC also considered and approved ” Land Acquisition, Affected Properties, and Compensation for Rajanpur- Dera Ghazi Khan Section as 04-Lane Highway and Dualization & Rehabilitation of Dera Ghazi Khan- Dera Ismail Khan Section of N- 55″ project at a rationalized cost of Rs 11,377.328 million without FEC.

The project envisages acquisition of land for up gradation/improvement/widening of 329.7 kms long and 04- Lane wide dual carriageway, starting from Rajanpur and terminating at Dera Ismail Khan Section Indus Highway, National Highway (N-55).

The ECNEC also approved Reconstruction of Turbat-Mand Road from Motorway (M-8) to Iranian Border (Radeeq) project at a rationalized cost of Rs 19.571 billion. The revised project envisages reconstruction/improvement/up gradation of 115 kms long carriageway starting from Motorway (M-8 Gwadar-Ratodero Motorway) to Kurumb (Iranian border) in Balochistan province. The project road connects the Iranian border with the West i.e coastal Belt of the province. The project road is a part of the Southern Balochistan Development Package (SBDP).

The ECNEC also considered and approved Construction of Panjgur-Gichak-Awaran road at the rationalized cost of Rs. 27.638 million without FEC. The revised project envisages construction of a 228 kms long carriageway starting from Panjgur-Gichak-Awaran in southern Balochistan region. The project road is a part of the Southern Balochistan Development Package (SBDP).

The ECNEC considered and approved Diamer Basha Project- Power Generation Facilities (4500MW) at a total cost of Rs 1,236.10 billion including FEC of Rs. 598.19 billion. The main object of the project is to capitalize the economical and renewable hydropower energy benefits of 4500 MW from the power generation facilities under Diamer Basha Dam project. The project will be implemented by WAPDA.

The Planning Commission submitted a summary regarding the Agenda for the 31st Meeting of the Steering Committee on SDG Achievement Program (SAP). The ECNEC after discussion allowed continuity of prevailing mechanisms and allowed the Power Division to approve SDGs schemes.

The ECNEC also considered and approved a summary submitted by the Planning Commission on procedure to clear pending liabilities of the closed projects.

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