ECNEC gives go ahead to Rs.317.3b projects
By Asad Cheema

ISLAMABAD—The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) here on Wednesday approved 32 development projects worth Rs.317.3 billion including foreign exchange component (FEC) of Rs.139.4 billion. These icluded projects pertaining to Social Welfare, Energy, Water Resources, Physical Planning, Education, Transport and Communications, Higher Education, Health Industries and Commerce and Science and Technology sectors.
The ECNEC meeting was chaired by Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro and attended by the ministers, and other senior government officials. The ECNEC has a mandate to approve development projects of over Rs.500 million including infrastructure across the country for the benefit of the people, create employment opportunities, human capital development and reducing the poverty in the country.
Later briefing the newsmen the Secretary Planning Commission Ghayasuddin Ahmed said that the ECNEC has met for the 4th time within two-month during the current financial year. Spokesman Planning Commission, Syed Asif Sheikh, Principal Information Officer (PIO) Rashid Ahmed Chaudhry and senior members of the Planning Commission were also present on the occasion.
The Secretary Planning Commission said the government is also following the policy to enhance development activities in the country for better quality of life of the people, increased employment opportunities and reduced poverty. He added that in the earlier three meetings, 84 development projects costing Rs. 368.5 billion were approved.
“In today’s meeting 32 projects costing Rs.317.3 billion were approved adding that during the four meetings a total of 116 projects costing Rs.685.9 billion including foreign exchange component of Rs.260.5 billion were approved by the ECNEC”. He said there was no proposal to cut in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) adding that

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