ECNEC nods project to improve infrastructures of Dhaka primary schools
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved a Tk 11.59 billion project to improve the infrastructures of government primary schools in Dhaka metropolis and in Purbachal.
The approval came from the 14th ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal (FY20), held at NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area. ECNEC chairperson and prime minister Sheikh Hasina was in the chair.
Briefing the newsmen after the meeting, planning minister MA Mannan said that a total of nine projects were approved today involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 46.11 billion.
“Of the total cost, the government will fund Tk 43.66 billion while the rest of Tk 2.45 billion will come from the concerned organisation’s own fund.”
Of the approved nine projects, seven are new while two others are revised, he added.
The planning minister said the Directorate of Primary Education under the primary education ministry will implement the project for improving infrastructures of government primary schools by December 2024.
The main project operations include construction of 14 new primary schools including three in Uttara and 11 in Purbachal, construction of 2975 primary school rooms at 154 schools and 8500 boundary walls.
Besides, there will be maintenance and repair of some 1167 primary school rooms at 177 schools, 25536 boundary walls alongside renovation of 356 boundary walls, formulation of necessary master plan, necessary land acquisition and land filling.
Once the project is implemented, child-friendly education environment would be ensured and improved for some 200,000 primary school students.
The meeting approved another project for improvement of selected educational institutions at Haor areas in Netrakona and Sunamganj with Tk 9.44 billion.
The main project operations include construction of 52 students’ hostels, construction of 31 multipurpose buildings, one teachers’ dormitory and construction of boundary walls at 31 educational institutions.
The planning minister said prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the meeting asked the authorities concerned to find out ways for relaxing the load of exams on the primary school students so that they can get more time to play.
She also suggested for covering the rest of educational institutions in Haor areas other than Netrakona and Sunamganj under a project for ensuring necessary improvement.
Referring to the approval of the 4th revision of the Establishment of Leather Industrial Estate, Dhaka with a cost cut of Tk 631.5 million, the planning minister said although many time has elapsed, the project is expected to be completed by December next year.
He said the prime minister asked the authorities concerned to make necessary arrangements including allocation of land to accommodate those who are interested to develop by-product industries nearby the Leather Industrial Estate.
Regarding the approval of the construction of inland container and bulk terminal at Khanpur in Narayanganj at a cost of Tk 3.92 billion, Mannan said the project has been approved considering the growing demand of container handling in addition to the Pangaon terminal.
He also said that the ECNEC meeting was informed about the initial plan for formulation of a bond for raising fund to implement large scale projects.
The other projects approved in the meeting are Modern waste and disposal of spilled oil at Mongla Port with Tk 4.01 billion, Addressing water logging, supply of safe water and construction of infrastructures at Sylhet City Corporation with Tk 12.28 billion, the 2nd revision of the Establishment of Faridpur Textile Institute with an additional cost of Tk 603.9 million, Construction of officers mess and BOQ at Mirpur Cantonment with Tk 1.58 billion and providing training to some 100,000 drivers for getting employment both at home and abroad with Tk 2.67 billion.