Staff Report
ISLAMABAD:
A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives was held under the Chairmanship of Senator Saleem Mandviwallah at the Parliament House on Thursday.
The Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Asad Umer, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on CPEC Affairs, Khalid Mansoor, also attended the meeting.
The Chairman expressed his concern that the committee’s proposals and recommendations on various projects at a provincial and federal level were not being considered.
He said that if the Senate’s recommendations are not considered, the committee’s efforts are futile.
The Planning Minister informed the Chairman that final approval on Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives (PSDP) projects is given by the National Economic Council (NEC).
“The NEC approval is final,” Asad Umer stated.
Umer informed the committee that March 31, 2022, is the last date for any project to be sent for approval to the NEC.
The Chairman said that, in 2022, the committee will pre-plan projects and send their final proposals before February 2022.
Senator Shafeeq Tareen expressed his concern on the approval process of provincial projects, which can only be approved if the Chief Minister gives it the go-ahead.
Asad Umar informed the committee that PSDP Projects are divided into two halves, i.e., Federal Minister execution projects and Provincial Minister execution projects.
He said that provincial projects cannot be forwarded to us unless they are approved by the Provincial Development Working Party and then approved by the NEC.
Senator Muhammad Tahir Bizinjo inquired about the N-25 National Highway’s status. The Planning Minister told him that the N-25 had been approved en route to Karachi-Chaman.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on CPEC Affairs, Khalid Mansoor, informed the committee that an overview committee on development projects of Baluchistan, headed by MNA Khalid Magsi, has been constituted.
He said that the committee has representations of all political parties, but Senator Shafiq Tareen disagreed with this claim. The Chairman asked for a list of the committee members.
While briefing the committee on the financial and physical progress of all major CPEC projects, the committee was informed that 21 projects, amounting to $15.7 billion, have been completed.
Among these 21 projects, ten are power projects (5,320 MW) and HVDC transmission line projects, which amount to $9.6 billion.
Five projects involve infrastructure, such as roads, mass transit, and optical fiber, amounting to $5.8 billion. Two projects are focused on the Gwadar Port/Free Zone and City Master Plan, amounting to $0.3 billion. Four projects are to do with social-economic development, amounting to $0.014 billion.
