The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved 10 projects at a combine cost of Tk 34.16 billion at its meeting Tuesday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting at the Planning Commission in the city.
Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal addressed a press briefing after the meeting.
The minister said out of the total project cost for 10 approved projects, Tk 34 billion will come from the state exchequer and the rest of Tk 149.3 million from the resources of the executing agencies.
The meeting approved two road development projects under the Roads and Highways Department (RHD).
Among the projects, the RHD will widen the Elenga-Jamalpur Road at Tk 4.90 billion cost, and the Mawna-Fulbaria-Kaliakor-Dhamrai-Nabinagar (Dhulivita) highways at Tk 2.82 billion cost.
The ECNEC also endorsed a project to set up Sheikh Saira Khatun Medical Collage, Medical Hospital and Nursing College at Goplaganj involving Tk 7.05 billion.
The meeting also approved Joyeeta Tower construction project with Tk 1.54 billion and Juvenile Club construction project at a cost of Tk 5.51.
Another project titled 'Land acquisition, excavation and re-excavation of Hazaribagh, Baishteki, Kurmitola, Manda and Begunbari canal', involving Tk 6.07 billion for excavating and re-excavating major canals in the capital in order to address city's vexing water logging, was approved at the meeting.
According to the Dhaka WASA, the drainage system of the capital consists of 151-kilometre long 51 canals, 10-kilometre long box culverts, and thousands of kilometre long pipelines operated by various agencies.
The main operations of the project include some 30.562 acres of land acquisition- 4.355 acres for Hazaribagh canal, 6.385 acres for Baishteki and Journalists' colony canal, 4.613 acres for Kurmitola canal, 1.905 acres for Begunbari canal, 13.304 acres for Manda canal and compensation to the establishments, construction of 0.15 kilometer road crossing culverts, 13.50 kilometre canal excavation, and erection of some 2,200 pillars.
Prior to the approval of the project, Bangladesh Air Force has requested the Dhaka WASA to address the water logging in Kurmitola area, Hazrat Shajalal International Airport and adjacent areas.
Under the present circumstances, the project has been approved to conduct excavation and re-excavation works at five canals - Hazaribagh canal, Baishteki canal, Kurmitola, Manda canal and Begunbari canal.
Ministers, high officials of the Planning Commission and other related ministries were present at the ECNEC meeting Tuesday.
