ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved 10 projects costing Rs218.554 billion in irrigation‚ water‚ power‚ infrastructure‚ and education sectors besides distribution of 100,000 laptops under the Prime Minister’s Scheme for the youth.
Its meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad on Tuesday with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the chair.
The ECNEC approved the purchase of 100,000 laptop computers for distribution to students for all PhD, master, graduate and diploma in Engineering from Polytechnic to High Education Commission (HEC) at a cost of Rs4 billion.
It was also decided during the meeting that no laptop computer shall be issued to those students who have availed it in the past under such an initiative nor shall they be eligible for laptops in future initiatives launched by federal and provincial governments.
The committee also directed the HEC that bids for the laptops should include a condition that the bidders shall establish assembly plant leading to manufacture of laptops. This year laptops would be purchased off the shelf while in the consequent two years they will have to install assembly plants leading to manufacturing.
The ECNEC further approved a project sponsored by the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan titled “Basic Education for All” to open schools in Azad Jammu and Kashmir districts at a cost of Rs1224.093 million.
The committee directed the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan to ensure that there was no duplication.
It also approved a 14 MW Hydropower Project Naltar-V at a total revised cost of Rs3843.753 million, aimed at meeting the power requirements of Gilgit Town.
The ECNEC also gave principle approval to 150 MW Sharmai Hydropower Project in Upper Dir‚ 132 MW Shogo-Sen Project and 144 MW Shushgai-Zhendoli Project in Chitral.
It also approved the refurbishment and up gradation of generating limits of Mangla Power Station for enhancing its capacity from 1000MW to 1310MW.
Moreover, the ECNEC approved the Kachhi Canal Project Phase-I which would be completed by December next year.
The federal government would provide Rs15billion as part of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s commitment to the people of Balochistan.
It approved the construction of Shadi Kaur Storage Dam and appurtenants work proposed by Balochistan at a cost of Rs6522.81 million.
