PM Imran approves ‘historic ‘development package for GB

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday approved a major economic package for the uplift of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), fulfilling the promise made before elections in November last year.
The premier gave go-ahead while chairing a meeting on the Gilgit-Baltistan Integrated Development Plan, which is being dubbed as historic.
The projects related to clean energy, transport and communication, health, infrastructure, water sanitation and tourism are part of the package.
A hint about the package worth billions of rupees was dropped in January this year after Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Asad Umar and GB Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid jointly chaired the inaugural meeting for the preparation of an integrated plan for the development of the region.
Following the meeting, technical working groups comprising relevant chiefs of the ministry of planning and development and officers of GB were constituted.
An apex committee under the GB chief minister and an inter-ministerial committee under the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission were also set to monitor the preparation and implementation of the development plan. Later, the plan was chalked out in the light of the recommendations sent by the working groups and it was sent to the premier for approval.
Earlier it was reported by Pakistan Today that as the apex committee constituted by the federal government had completed its proposals for GB development plan, Prime Minister Imran was expected to announce a historic GB development package, worth over Rs250 billion, soon.
According to an official source, the apex committee has proposed at least 57 development projects in the five-year development plan (2021-26), which included earlier approved projects, some ongoing projects and some new projects — to be funded by the Centre as well as through public-private partnership (PPP).
As per the sources the PM on Tuesday approved the ‘Socio-Economic Development Plan (2021-26)’ for GB.
As per documents, the development plan included potential projects in the public sector, non-PSDP initiatives, as well as PPP projects, which had been conceived through consultations between GB authorities and federal ministries/divisions. Priority sectors such as clean energy/hydropower, health, education & skill development, tourism, private sector development, agriculture, women’s development, social welfare, and youth have also been included in the plan.
The purpose of formulating the package was to accelerate socio-economic development in GB by increasing the livelihood opportunities for the people and realising the economic potential of the region.
As per the documents, projects worth Rs104.6 billion have been proposed in the transport and communication sector, while projects worth Rs86.3 billion have been recommended for clean energy and off-grid solutions. Similarly, projects worth Rs9.8 billion have been proposed in gems, mineral, trade and commerce sectors.
For the development of human resources, which included health, education and skill development, a sum of Rs29.4 billion has been proposed. Besides, Rs5.4 billion would be spent on tourism and allied facilities, Rs13 billion on climate change/ environment, and Rs1.3 billion on agri business development.
Out of the Rs250 billion development plan, projects worth Rs47.7 billion would be funded through GB annual development plan; projects worth Rs91.7 billion would be financed through PSDP, while those worth Rs110.5 billion would be funded by the federal government through the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan (federal PSDP).
However, an insider claimed that many of the projects included in the development package were those already approved by various forums and waiting for funding.