The mega-project is executed in the same vein as CPEC, which has a special focus on agricultural development and people’s living.  

Though the project is not a part of CPEC, it is among those initiatives that receive progressive vibes from many agro-based development projects under CPEC.   

As there is no canal system for irrigation in Balochistan, however, after the completion of the Kachhi Canal, the cropping concentration of sorghum, pulses, oilseeds, and wheat will be increased up to 88.5 percent by approximately Rs19.66 billion (Rs3.82 billion for phase-I) added to the national economy annually. 

Besides, the project would produce hundreds of thousands of jobs as well. Areas including Naseerabad, Kachhi (Bolan), Dera Bugti, and Jhal Magsi will benefit.    

Kachhi Canal also called the ‘Green Revolution’ project of Balochistan, apart from irrigating barren lands, would also alleviate drinking water stress for about two million people, according to the sources.  

Moreover, KCP is started in a typical arid zone climate that has high temperatures and low rainfall where economically sound agriculture is impossible under irrigated conditions. But with this initiative, situations will be changed for the poor people of Balochistan, the most underdeveloped part of the country. 

As per the officials, the project is financed by the federal government through its Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) while the development work of the project is being carried out by WAPDA in association with the Kachhi Canal Consultants. 

So far, an amount of around Rs100 billion has been spent on the project since its start in 2002. 

A senior WAPDA official said that the authority has already built a 363-km main canal and 81-km long allied water distribution system which irrigate 72,000 acres of land in Phase-I. “Kachhi Canal is a vital project to alleviate poverty and eradicate extremism in remote and backward areas of Balochistan by developing irrigated agriculture and an agro-based economy in the province”, the official added.  

The post Kachhi Canal Project underway in Balochistan appeared first on Property Mahir.

The project is part of the CPEC and was approved in 2016, but its formal construction had not started. The government now wants China to install a solar power plant having the same capacity as the government decided not to install any new power plant using imported fuel in the future.

“We have decided to abandon the project, but we will have to take up the issue at various CPEC forums with our Chinese counterparts. CPEC projects have sensitivity and importance which is why the Power Division’s decision to replace the imported coal-based project at Gwadar with a solar plant is being kept at a low profile,” said an official.

Power Division Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan also unveiled the government wanted the Chinese power plant at Gwadar to be supplanted with a solar power plant of 300MW.

While talking to the media, the minister added that the government had decided to prohibit new power plants that utilize imported fuel and would add new capacity to electricity generation based on local fuel, such as Thar coal, the solar, wind, and hydel. “However, the government will continue the policy to install more nuclear power plants,” he said.

More importantly, he further said,  the government has also decided to transform the current imported coal-based power plants of 3,960MW, including the Sahiwal power plant, Port Qasim plant, and China Hub plant, each having the capacity to produce 1,320MW of electricity, to local coal.

Moreover, the fuel import bill had consumed nearly $20 billion during the first 11 months of the past fiscal 2021-22, the minister said, adding that steps are being taken to scale down the fuel import bill and decrease dependency on imported fuel for power generation.

Meanwhile, the government has also increased its attention on laying its own infrastructure in Balochistan and the NTDC will place a high transmission line of 500kv from Makran coast to Gwadar. 

The post Solar plant to replace 300MW Gwadar coal power project appeared first on Property Mahir.

The communications minister issued the guidelines during his visit to the area for inspecting the pace of work on the road. He ordered the NHA officials to expand the road and ensure that it fulfilled international standards.

Asad Mahmood also visited Hakla-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway and inspected civic services being delivered to the commuters in the area. He stated it was the core responsibility of the government to give the best possible facilities to the passengers.

NHA has asked for applications from all those contractors who are on the Active Taxpayers List of FBR and are affiliated with the Pakistan Engineering Council in Category C-A with Specialization in CE-01 and CE-02 for 2022 for the prequalification of the project.

This 50 KM section forms a portion of the “Upgradation of the D.I. Khan (Yarik)–Zhob, N-50 Phase-I (210 Km)” project, which is the main highway under CPEC’s Western Route. The important features of the projects comprise geometric improvements in the present alignment and Improvement/Upgradation of two-lane current roads to four lanes while 100miter R.O.W will be obtained to upgrade it to six lanes in the future.

Moreover, the Dualization and up-gradation of N-50 will establish a useful link between Islamabad, Dera Ismail Khan, Zhob towards Karachi, and Gwadar.     

PC-I of the project was sanctioned by ECNEC in April 2017 and it was given the highest priority in the 9th JCC.

This project falls under the current road infrastructure of the country and is being boosted under CPEC through the up-gradation of existing roads. Meanwhile, Communications Secretary and NHA Chairman retired Captain Muhammad Khurram Agha and other senior officials of the Ministry of Communications and National Highway Authority (NHA) also accompanied the minister during the visit.

The post NHA to build 210 km DI Khan-Zhob section of CPEC western route appeared first on Property Mahir.

According to the officials, the CPEC contains a huge variety of projects, including road and railway networks, a deep-sea port, coal mines, solar farms, and fiber-optic cable projects.

Recently, the total value of CPEC has shown a growth from $46 billion to $62 billion, which is equivalent to 20% of Pakistan’s present economic aggregate. The influence of CPEC on our country has not only been restricted to just the economic field but also has a great impact on different other fields.

Though our country has been importing Chinese products for over a decade, the CPEC project and the relaxation of trade policies have boosted the commercial relationship between both countries and imports have continued to increase.

Talking to the media officials said that the country has imported more than half of its electrical appliances, equipment, and machinery from China and also imports high-tech industrial machinery, nuclear power plants, steel, silk, and garlic.

“Brand loyalty has become a thing of the past, emerging global brands are recognized, especially by consumers who are very picky and who use social media,” according to Humayoun Bashir, marketing manager of a Chinese multinational company.

“Many people feel that this wave of cheap imports is bad for local industry. The actual import figures are much higher than the official import figures provided by SBP. Pakistan’s imports from China are second only to those from the United States, and China may be Pakistan’s second-largest importer after the United States, but Pakistan’s exports to China account for only 60pc of its imports, with a trade deficit of 40pc and it is expected to expand in the coming years. Many Pakistanis believe this model of high imports from China is a new opportunity for Pakistan’s retail trade, “as stated by Mohammed Ahmed who is the owner of small and medium-sized enterprises.

It has been revealed that the development of transportation infrastructure will enhance the prospering real estate industry, whereas real estate values along CPEC will increase sharply in suburban and rural areas.

The post CPEC contributing to socio-economic uplift appeared first on Property Mahir.