CDWP gives go-ahead to projects worth over Rs142bn.

ISLAMABAD -- The Central DeveAlopment Working Party (CDWP) on Monday cleared a total of 19 projects having an estimated cost of Rs142.3 billion.

The meeting, which was presided over by Planning Secretary Zafar Ali Shah, itself approved 13 projects worth Rs34.83bn and recommended another six costing Rs107.505bn to the ExecAutive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for formal approval.

Under the current financial powers, the CDWP can approve projects that cost no more than Rs10bn, however, those having higher estimated costs are approved by Ecnec once the CDWP clears them on technical grounds.

Among the projects referred to EcnAec for approval was the Rs44.72bn worAth of 'Muzaffarabad-Mansehra Road' project.

Schemes include establishment of North Waziristan university

It envisages construction of a 26.6km road, connecting Mansehra in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Under the project, 11 bridges and two tunnels on the left bank of rivers Jhelum and Kunar would be constructed.

The road is expected to be an important link of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor after it is later connected to AJK's industrial city Mirpur.

The purpose of the project is to provide fast connectivity from the motorway network to Azad Kashmir through a four-lane divided controlled access expressway.

Another project recommended to Ecnec was the Rs16.32bn project linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir.

The 50km mountainous road project is to be executed by the National Highway Authority (NHA) to link Neelum Valley in AJK to Jalkhad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Mansehra district.

The meeting also referred to Ecnec Rs12bn worth of mini-sports complexes.

The project aims to promote sports through infrastructure development by establishing or upgrading 250 mini-sports complexes across the country through 50:50 cost sharing between federal and provincial governments.

The provincial government will be responsible to make land available while the Centre will undertake construction of the mini-complexes through Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

The CDWP also recommended establishment and upgradation of 250...