ECNEC okays Tk 4,167cr for 10 projects

The Executive Committee of National Economic Council on Tuesday cleared 10 development projects involving Tk 4,167 crore.

The approval came from the Ecnec meeting held at the NEC conference room here. Ecenc Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting, joining it through a videoconference from Ganobhaban.

“Today 10 projects, including seven new ones, got approval. The overall estimated cost of the projects is Tk 4,166.61 crore,” said Planning Minister MA Mannan at a press briefing.

Of the cost, Tk 4,125.82 crore will come from the national exchequer, while the rest Tk 40.79 crore from the own funds of the organisations concerned, he said.

Among the projects, four are under the LGRD and Cooperatives Ministry, two each under the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry and the Education Ministry, one each under the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry and the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry.

The projects under LGRD and Cooperatives Ministry are Development of Important Rural Infrastructures in Tangail Project involving an estimated cost of Tk 865.64 crore; Development of Rural Infrastructures in Gazipur District with Tk 685 crore; Acquisition of necessary lands for solid waste management and construction of bus-truck terminals in Gazipur City Corporation with Tk 782.25 crore; and Improvement of Safe Water Supply and Sanitation System in Rural Areas of Gopalganj District Project involving Tk 261.34 crore.

The two projects under the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry are Development of Kabirhat-Chamir Munshirhat-Sonaimuri Road and Senbagh-Begumganj Gasfield-Sonaimuri Road under Noakhali road division involving Tk 371.16 crore; and Support to Joydevpur-Debgram-Bhulta-Madanpur road (Dhaka Bypass) PPP (1st revised) Project with an additional cost of Tk 438.24 crore.

Another two projects are under the Education Ministry and those are Development of Bangladesh University of Professionals (1st phase) (1st revised) Project involving an additional cost of Tk 90.63 crore; and Development of Bangladesh University of Processionals (2nd revised) Project costing an additional amount of Tk 346.32 crore.

Ecnec approved another project under the Environment Ministry which is Innovation of improved technology to store ‘Agar regin’ in matured Agar Trees involving Tk 67.92 crore and the rest one is under the Power and Energy Ministry. The project, ‘Construction of gas distribution pipeline network in Rangpur, Nilphamari, Pirganj towns and adjacent areas’, involves Tk 258.11 crore.

During the approval of the projects, the Prime Minister stressed the need for using surface water instead of underground one in a larger way, rainwater harvesting as well as taking steps to keep crops cultivation and safe drinking water away from salinity, said MA Mannan.

Sheikh Hasina said each and every public university needs to have a master plan and give proper importance to conducting quality research. There should be capping in the number of students of a university for the sake of ensuring quality education, she added.

The PM directed the authorities concerned to complete the construction work on Dhaka Bypass in a speedy manner, expediting the implementation of ‘Support to Joydevpur-Debgram-Bhulta-Madanpur road (Dhaka Bypass) PPP (1st revised) Project.

At the beginning of the meeting, Sheikh Hasina unveiled the cover of a book titled "Bangabandhu in Disaster Risk Reduction" focusing on different orders and directives of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his government in disaster risk management.