The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) gave a nod to the construction of the Chashma Right Bank Canal project worth Rs. 189.6 billion.
The ECNEC meeting was chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar.
According to official sources, the cost of the Chashma Bank Canal project comprises full economic costing (FEC) at Rs. 18.03 billion with 65 percent finance contribution by the federal government and 35 percent by the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The offered canal is an off-taking from the Head Race channel of Chashma Hydro Power Station at the right bank of the Chashma barrage.
ECNEC also approved a 500 kV Sialkot Substation project of the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) sponsored by the French Development Agency (AFD) at an estimated cost of Rs. 31.8 billion comprising FEC of Rs. 17.2 billion subject to review of cost in next three months as per the exchange rate of the dollar.
In addition, ECNEC also considered and approved the project of the Power Division on the addition and augmentation of 500 kV and 220 kV transformers at the present grid stations for the removal of National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) system constraints for Rs. 15.11 billion including FEC of Rs. 8.9 billion subject to the review of cost in the next three months according to the exchange rate of the dollar.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) will support the project which is an addition of 2,250 megavolt-amperes (MVA) and 430 MVA capacity in the system at 6 existing 500 and 220 kV grid stations in Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Dadu, and Kashmore districts to fulfil the power demand of the country in the minimum possible period and to minimize system losses.
ECNEC further gave approval to the project on up-gradation of the current 220 kV Vehari substation to a 500 kV Vehari substation. The cost of the project is Rs. 17.1 billion.
The meeting also approved Naulong Multipurpose Dam Project at a revised cost of Rs. 43.7 billion. Moreover, a project for the Higher Education Commission of the Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarship for Afghan national students at a revised cost of Rs. 12.7 billion covering 4,500 scholarships was also approved during the meeting.