Following a briefing by the Public Construction Commission (PCC) on public construction project implementation for the year 2016 at today's Cabinet meeting, Premier Lin Chuan commended the performance of the relevant agencies and urged them to continue their efforts for this year's major programs.
According to the PCC's briefing, the budget implementation ratio for monitored public construction projects with individual budgets over NT$100 million (US$3.09 million) reached 94.69 percent in 2016, improving on last year's rate of 93.82 percent. In the second half of 2016, 21 major projects were completed, began operations or were opened to traffic, including the Kaohsiung Light Rail Transit Circular Line and Taichung City's elevated rapid transit railway. Meanwhile, NT$311.4 billion (US$9.63 billion) of the NT$328.8 billion (US$10.17 billion) budget for the 198 projects monitored in 2016 was implemented by year's end.
The premier also instructed the PCC to urge government agencies to fast-track preliminary operations of approved new projects under their respective jurisdiction so that this year's budget can be implemented as planned, including the Zengwen Reservoir's desilting tunnel and the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TTIA) taxiway. He also requested that the PCC supervise and offer assistance to ensure that these projects are completed on schedule according to their approved designs.
A total of 29 projects, including the TTIA Mass Rapid Transit line and the re-engineering of the Suhua Highway between eastern Taiwan's Su-ao Township and Hualien City, are expected to be completed and begin operations in 2017, the PCC said. The number of such projects will be updated on a rolling basis, and the PCC pledged to step up supervision and offer the necessary assistance.
In 2017 the government is also hoping to expand domestic demand through domestic infrastructure projects, and the PCC has requested that the competent authorities of new projects issue the required licenses as soon as possible to speed up the ongoing expansion of domestic infrastructure construction, which in turn will attract more investment and help boost the economy.