ECNEC nods conservation, dev of local fish, snails species, 3 other revised projects

ECNEC chairperson and prime minister Sheikh Hasina chairs the ECNEC meeting virtually from her official Gonobhaban residence, DhakaFile photo

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved a total of four projects involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 534.34 crore, including a new scheme for conservation and development of local species of fish and snails with Tk 202.04 crore.

The approval came from a meeting of the ECNEC held with its chairperson and prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The prime minister along with finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and planning minister MA Mannan joined the meeting virtually from her official Gonobhaban residence while the ministers, state ministers and others concerned joined the meeting from the NEC Conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the planning minister said, “A total of four projects were approved today involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 534.34 crore. Of the total project cost, Tk 440.94 crore will come from the state exchequer while the rest Tk 93.40 crore as project loan.”

The larger and ultimate goal of the government is to preserve the local species
Planning minister MA Mannan

Of the approved projects, one is new while three others are revised projects.

Mannan said the main objectives of the project for preservation of local fish species and snails are to protect, preserve and thus boost the production of local fish species alongside snails.

He said prime minister Sheikh Hasina was highly excited over the incorporation of snails in this project as she mentioned that slacked lime (Chun) is prepared from snail shells which is usually consumed with betel leaf and also is a source of calcium.

Mannan said the prime minister was also optimistic about the cultivation of oysters as pearls are being extracted from those.

“The larger and ultimate goal of the government is to preserve the local species,” he added.

The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will implement the project by June 2024 at some 49 upazilas under 10 districts of the South-Western region of the country.

The main project objectives include raising the internal water bodies fish production in those areas to 446,000 tonnes from 383,000 tonnes, holding some 392 local fish species farming exhibitions alongside 15 snail exhibitions, holding some 110 paddy field fish farming demonstrations alongside 392 fish farming demonstrations at pans and capacity development of some 108,847 beneficiaries.

Planning commission member Md Zakir Hossain Akand said once the project is implemented, it would help boost the production of snails in the country alongside saving the fresh water fishes from extinction.

He also said that this is for the first time a project has been undertaken incorporating snails.

He mentioned that fish sanctuaries would be created under the project while some pilot projects would also be undertaken under this project.