ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday considered various development projects worth billions of rupees including Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) at a cost of Rs 37,644.68 million.
The ECNEC, which met here with Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar in the chair, discussed at length the proposal of Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination regarding the EPI spanning over the period from 2015-16 to 2019-20 and approved it.
The project would be financed by the federal and provincial governments.
The programme envisages protecting children of one year age against nine vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) including childhood tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis-B, haemophilus influencza type B, measles and pneumonia.
The EPI also aims at protecting pregnant women against tetanus toxoid and the newborn babies against tetanus neonatrum.
EPI also has the objective to eradicate, eliminate, reduce and control vaccine preventive diseases (VPD) for implementation and execution by federating units.
The programme will protect children under five years of age against the complications and mortality caused by diarrhoeal diseases by proper case management.
The programme shall cover the whole country including Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA), Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The Ministry of National Health Services will undertake procurement of the vaccine under a centralized system.
The ECNEC also considered and approved in principle the proposal from Ministry of Ports and Shipping for provision of coal conveying system from Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT) to Railway network at Port Qasim.
Under the project, construction of coal conveying system measuring 4.8 KM and laying of 8 kilometre railway track with allied structures and facilities for transportation of coal from PIBT coal terminal to railway siding and loading of coal onto railway wagons for onward transmission to the proposed coal fired power plants will be undertaken.
The ECNEC had detailed discussion on the project regarding construction of additional carriageway of Indus Highway N-55, Sehwan-Khairpur Nathan Shah, Ratodero Section (approx 200 KM).
The project was approved at the revised cost of Rs. 22,299.00 million, including FEC of Rs 20,478.00 million.
The ECNEC approved the project of Ministry of Housing and Works regarding dualization and improvement of Mandra Chakwal Road project (64 Km) at a revised cost of Rs 9332.006 million.
The project aims at improving and rehabilitating 64 Kms existing road and construction of additional two lanes carriageway to make it a dual carriageway facility, besides providing allied facilities and structures.
The forum was informed that the upward revision in the cost is due to the enhanced scope of work which includes increased width of both carriageways from 6.1m to 7.3m, provision of Chakwal bypass (14.5km) plus additional land cost of Rs.470.00 million.
The ECNEC discussed and approved Baluchistan P&D Department’s proposal regarding improvement, widening and construction of Kohlu-Sibi Road at a revised cost of Rs. 6,544.645 million.
The project envisages rehabilitation, improvement, sidening and construction of 174.142 km long road to 6.5m wide triple surface treatment (TST) road having formation width of 24ft with 2.5 ft shoulders on either side from Kohlu upto Sibi passing through Maiwand, Chakkar Kili and RES Mor.
The forum was informed that the upward revision in the cost is due to the increase in the road length by 11.642 Km.
The Ministry of Water and Power’s proposal about construction of Mangi Dam and Water Conveyance System in the districts of Ziarat and Quetta, Balochistan, was approved by ECNEC at the total cost of Rs. 9,334.078 million.
As per decision of the CDWP, the cost sharing by the federal government and the provinces would be on 50-50 basis.
A steering committee comprising federal and provincial government officials will supervise the project.
The main objective of the project is to reduce the existing shortfall in the water demand in the area.
Source: APP
