ECNEC approves 8 projects worth 14,041cr taka

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday approved eight development projects with a combined estimated cost of 14,041.21 crore taka.

The approvals came at an ECNEC meeting chaired by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat.

Of the total cost, the government will provide 10,494.21 crore taka from its own resources, while 3,550.44 crore taka will come through project assistance.

The approved package comprises three new projects and five revised projects.

Three of the approved projects fall under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. These are the first revised Universal Social Infrastructure Development-2 (GSIDP-2) project, the Integrated Development Project for Greater Dinajpur (covering Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh), and the Rural Road Maintenance and Employment Project.

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief received approval for the third revised Disaster Shelter Construction, Renovation and Improvement Project.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges secured approval for the second revised Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway Construction Project.

The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources received approval for two projects: the third revised Power Distribution System Development Project for Sylhet Division, and a project to drill one appraisal-cum-development well (Begumganj-5) and two exploratory wells (Begumganj-6 and Sunetra-2).

ECNEC also approved the second revised project of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to upgrade existing kidney dialysis centres at medical college hospitals into 50-bed facilities and establish 10-bed dialysis centres at district hospitals.

The meeting was also informed about 11 projects, each involving less than 50 crore taka.

These include projects to establish three regional offices of the National University, set up the Barishal Textile Vocational Institute at Gournadi, install a mobile network at the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, upgrade sections of regional and district highways, develop power transmission infrastructure for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, expand the eastern grid network, and establish six Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Centre (BITAC) centres in different districts.