ECNEC approves 22 projects worth Tk 464bn
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today, Tuesday approved a total of 22 development projects with a total estimated cost of Tk 464.19 billion (Tk 6,419.66 crore), with the majority of the funding to come from the government of Bangladesh.
Of the total project cost, Tk 304.82 billion (Tk 30,482.49 crore) will be financed from the government exchequer, Tk 168.96 billion (Tk 1,689.61 crore) from project loans and Tk 142.47 billion (Tk 14,247.56 crore) from the concerned organisation's own funds.
The approval came at an ECNEC meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area with chief adviser and ECNEC chairperson Professor Muhammad Yunus in the chair, said a Planning Ministry press release.
Among the approved projects, 14 are new, five are revised and three involve extensions of project tenure.
Under the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, three projects were approved, including the development of a connecting road from the Karnaphuli Tunnel (Anwara) to the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar National Highway up to Gachhbari; upgrading the Hili (land port)-Dugdugi-Ghoraghat National Highway (N-521) in Dinajpur along with reconstruction of narrow and dilapidated culverts and construction of rigid pavement and drains in market areas (1st revised); and land acquisition and utility relocation support for the four-lane of the Dhaka (Kanchpur)-Sylhet-Tamabil highway with separate service lanes on both sides (1st revised).
The Housing and Public Works Ministry received approval for the revised project to construct 672 residential flats in eight 15-storey buildings for government officers and employees at Aliganj in Narayanganj (2nd revised).
Five projects were approved under the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Ministry.
These include establishment of the Dhaka WASA Training and Research Academy; a 2nd revised project for waterlogging mitigation, safe water supply and infrastructure development in Sylhet City Corporation; the Climate Resilient and Livelihood Enhancement Project (CRALEP); development of important rural infrastructure in Patuakhali district, and widening and strengthening of key upazila and union roads in the Sylhet division.
The Defence Ministry secured approval for two projects-revised infrastructure development of Mongla Commander Flotilla West and infrastructural development of the Army Institute of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation in Savar.
One major project under the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry-the Modernisation and Expansion of Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL)-was also cleared by ECNEC.
In the social sector, the committee approved the revised reconstruction project of the Destitute Children Training and Rehabilitation Centre at Konabari in Gazipur under the Social Welfare Ministry; and the Education and Research Capacity Building project of the National Institute of Advanced Nursing Education and Research (NIANER) under the Medical Education and Family Welfare Ministry.
The Education Ministry received approval for two projects-the development of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University and the third revision of the Bangladesh University of Professionals development project.
Four projects under the Water Resources Ministry were also approved. These include sustainable water management of the Karnaphuli River and its linked rivers (Kachalong, Raikhiyang and Shalak) in Rangamati Hill District; urgent maintenance and rehabilitation of the Ganges-Kobadak irrigation project; development of the Surma-Kushiyara river basin for flood control and integrated water resources management (first phase), and the proposed second revision of the Disaster Risk Management Enhancement Project (Component-1, BWDB part).
Additionally, ECNEC approved the Sustainable Agricultural Development project in the Bogura agricultural region under the Agriculture Ministry and the second-phase Darul Arqam Islamic education management and consolidation project under the Religious Affairs Ministry.
Besides, the ECNEC meeting was also apprised about 10 projects which were earlier approved by the planning adviser. Advisers concerned attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.