The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council has approved various development projects worth over 445 billion rupees.

The ECNEC, which met in Islamabad on Wednesday with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the chair, okayed "Prime Minister's Laptop Scheme" to be executed by Higher Education Commission in Islamabad at a rationalized cost of over 16.8 billion rupees.

"Modernization of Hydromet Services of Pakistan Meteorological Department", costing more than 14.49 billion rupees also got ECNEC's nod.

Besides, the forum allowed "Water Requirement for K-IV Project Improvement of Kalri Baghar Feeder and Keenjhar Lake - Plain Cement Concrete Lining of Karli Baghar Feeder Upper-Phase-I Project " to be executed in District Jamshoro and Thatta of Sindh at a cost of over 39.94 billion rupees. This project is to be financed at a 50:50 sharing basis by the Federal and the Sindh governments.

The approval was also given to "Lahore Ring Road-Southern Loop Construction of Road from Raiwind Road upto Multan Road" at a cost of over 17.78 billion rupees, "Prime Minister's National Programme for Solarization Agriculture Tube Wells Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan" and allowed inclusion of existing pumping systems on small dams, ponds, and rivers, streams, and nullahs serving the same purpose as tube-wells.

Furthermore, the ECNEC consented "Construction of Khawazakhela - Besham Expressway" at a cost of over 79.13 billion rupees, "Pakistan Education Fund" worth 14 billion rupees and "Lahore-Sahiwal-Bahwalnagar Motorway Phase -I" at a cost of over 263.79 billion rupees.