Ground-breaking Of Hakla-D I K Phase Of Western Route In March: Khusro Bakhtiar

Ground-breaking of Hakla-D I K phase of Western Route in March: Khusro Bakhtiar

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee

ISLAMABAD (Pakistan Point News / NNI - 13th March, 2019) -Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on China-Says China to grant $1 billion for social development Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), to review progress on the projects.The meeting also took several decision with regard to the game changer project CPEC and also discussed the preparations regarding the visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China.

Cabinet Committee on CPEC has decided to perform ground breaking of an important phase of Western Route of the corridor later this month.This was stated by Minister for Planning and Development Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar while briefing media about the committee's decisions in Islamabad Wednesday.He said the step would mitigate the sense of deprivation of the people living along the Western Corridor. He said sixty per cent work on Hakla--Dera Ismail Khan Section of the corridor has already been completed.

The Minister said the government is also focusing on connecting the missing links in the Eastern Corridor and in this connection work on Sukkur-Hyderabad Section will be started in the next six to eight months.Khusro Bukhtiar said the committee ruled out diversification of funds from CPEC projects because all sectors under the corridor have been included in Sustainable Development Goals. He said that the twenty-eight billion Dollar worth of projects are presently under implementation with the cooperation of China.

He said the committee specially specified six sectors for development under CPEC, including agriculture, education, health, poverty alleviation, water supply and sanitation.The minister said the Chinese government has decided to release one billion Dollars for these projects in the next three years and half of the amount will be spent during the first year.Planning Minister said agriculture is a priority area under CPEC and a team of Chinese experts will soon visit Pakistan to identify areas for development of food processing so as to boost agricultural exports.

He said the cabinet committee also decided to perform ground breaking of Gwadar International Airport this month. He said the committee also decided to set up CPEC business Forum at the earliest.Earlier in the day, Pakistan and China had resolved to expedite implementation of the projects being executed under China Pakistan Economic Corridor in the field of social economic development.The resolve was expressed at a meeting between Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing and Secretary Planning Zafar Hasan in Islamabad.

The two sides also agreed to promote early implementation of Gwadar projects, including vocational institute, hospital, new Gwadar Airport and City Master Plan.Last month, the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform had denied China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects were facing inordinate delays.A spokesperson for the ministry clarified that none of the CPEC projects was facing delay, adding that Pakistan and China had agreed on the future trajectory of the CPEC and timely completion of its on--Says China to grant $1 billion for social development going projects."The successful 8th joint cooperation committee meeting laid foundation for the expansion of CPEC to new heights", he said. NNI