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ECNEC clears 12 projects; Satkhira infrastructure project biggest
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Monday approved 12 development projects involving Tk 7,150.21 crore, all to be funded from the government’s own resources.
The approval came at a meeting of ECNEC at the NEC Conference Room in the Planning Commission.
Chief Adviser and ECNEC Chairperson Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus presided over the meeting.
According to the Planning Ministry, eight of the approved projects are new while two are revised.
Two other projects received extensions of implementation period without any cost escalation.
Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud; Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed; Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul; Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd); Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan; Power, Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan; Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan; Health & Family Welfare Adviser Nurjahan Begum; Disaster Management Adviser Farooq E Azam and Education Adviser Professor Dr Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar, among others, attended the meeting.
Senior officials from the ministries and divisions concerned were also present.
Among the projects approved, two are related to rural development under the Local Government Division: one for important rural infrastructure development in Manikganj district involving Tk 450 crore and another for rural infrastructure development in Satkhira district involving Tk 1,930 crore.
The Agriculture Ministry received approval for a project aimed at improving minor irrigation systems in haor areas of Kishoreganj and Netrokona at a cost of Tk 164.94 crore.
In the education sector, a project has been approved for infrastructure development at Gazipur Agricultural University involving Tk 567.29 crore.
ECNEC also approved additional funding of Tk 394.84 crore for the project to establish one engineering college in each of Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions.
A project under the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs for the construction of the Independence Monument at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka received revision approval.
The Health and Family Welfare Ministry saw three projects cleared: one regarding remaining activities under the completed 4th Sector Programme related to family planning and reproductive health; another for operational development of the Directorate of Health Education, NIPORT and the Directorate of Nursing and Midwifery costing Tk 211.90 crore; and a Tk 1,546.45 crore project for completing essential remaining activities of PFD, HEF, IFM, HRD and SWPMM.
A project under the Defence Ministry was approved for constructing ‘B’-type officers’ residential buildings at the Nirjhor residential area in Dhaka Cantonment, with a cost of Tk 177.80 crore.
The Road Transport and Bridges Ministry received a time extension for the construction of the Kalia Bridge over the Nabaganga River on the Narail–Kalia district highway.
The Industries Ministry received approval for additional expenditure of Tk 39.43 crore for the third revision of the BSCIC Industrial Park project in Tangail.
The meeting was also apprised of nine other projects approved earlier by the Planning Adviser.
These include the integrated feasibility study for the development of multi-tier educational institutions along with strengthening the Education Engineering Department; the first revised project for the development of selected non-government secondary schools; and the first phase (first revised) project for the preservation and development of the graves of martyred freedom fighters and other freedom fighters.
The projects included basic self-defence training project for youths; the project to enhance the skills of IT-literate youths through artificial intelligence (AI) technology; and the Project for Enhancing Coastal Resilience through Technology-based Forest Management.
In addition, the list covers the first revised project for establishing an agricultural research centre of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute in Meherpur Sadar and strengthening related research activities; the second revised Dhaka City Neighbourhood Upgrading Project (DCNUP); and the second revised project for enhancing the technical and technological capacity of RAB, reports UNB.