The government is set to spend Tk 142 billion on 17 development projects including the Rajshahi WASA Surface Water Treatment Plant Project and Development of Electricity Supply System, Chattogram Zone (2nd Phase).
To this end, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) gave their approval on Thursday at their weekly meeting at the NEC conference room in the city with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
According to local news agencies, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, after the meeting, told media that “A total of 19 projects were placed at the meeting today, but ECNEC approved 17 projects."
He said out of the total cost, Tk 111.93 billion will come from government fund, while Tk 28.12 billion from the funds of the organisations concerned and Tk 1.96 billion as foreign assistance.
Of the 17 projects, 14 are new and the remaining three are revised ones.
The approved projects are as follows:
Rajshahi WASA Surface Water Treatment Plant Project involving Tk 40.62 billion
Development of Electricity Supply System, Chattogram Zone (2nd Phase) involving Tk 25.52 billion
Land Acquisition for Upgrading Faridpur-Bhanga-Baishal-Patuakhali-Kuakata National Highway into Four-lane involving Tk 18.68 billion
Improvement of Road Network at Wards and Construction of Bus/Truck Terminals in Chattogram City Corporation with an estimated cost of Tk 12.30 billion
Construction of Houses for Cleaning Workers of Dhaka City Corporation ( 1st revised) with Tk 2.54 billion
Upgrading and Widening Bairagipul (Barishal)-Tumchar-Bauphal (Patuakhali) District Highway involving Tk 3.02 billion
Upgrading and Widening Nandigram (Omarpur)-Talora-Dupchachira-Zianagar-Akkelpur (Gopinathpur) District Highway and Nandigram (Kathom)-Kaliganj-Raninagar District Highway For Expanding Trade and Business with Tk 1.79 billion
Construction of Multi-storey Office Building on the Premises of the Foreign Ministry with Tk 635.6 million
Rural Infrastructures Development in Jashore Region with Tk 9.52 billion
Rural Infrastructures Development of Khulna and Bagerhat and Satkhira Districts Extension with Tk 9.38 billion
Repair and Modernisation of Bangabandhu Poverty Alleviation Training Complex at Kotalipara in Gopalganj (3rd revised) with Tk 3.45 billion
Safe Crops Production through Environment-Friendly Strategy with Tk 1.72 billion
Development of Greater Dhaka District Irrigation Area with Tk 1.37 billion
Bank Protection and dredging of Jamunaiswari, Ghaghot and Korotoa Rivers at Mithapukur, Pirganj, Pirgachha and Rangpur Sadar Upazilas in Rangpur with Tk 1.35 billion
Development of Livestock Resources in Coastal Char-lands with Tk 953.4 million
The Project for the Improvement of Rescue Capacities in the Coastal and Inland Water with Tk 2.87 billion
Construction of 13 Buffer Godowns in Different Districts of the Country to ensure conservation and distribution of fertilisers (1st revised) with Tk 6.28 billion
However, ECNEC did not give clearance to a project titled Banani-Gulshan-Baridhara Lake Development as its implementation will displace some 12,000 people from the project area.
Instead, the Prime Minister emphasised taking measures for relocation of the people first before approving the project in this regard, said Mustafa Kamal.
Besides, the ECNEC meeting sent back another project titled 'Mollarhat 100-Megawatt Solar PV Power Plant' to recast it.
