ECNEC approves 8 projects worth Tk 14,000 crore

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved eight development projects worth Tk 14,412.1 lakh. Out of these, three are new and five are revised projects.
The approved projects include integrated development of Greater Dinajpur, maintenance of rural roads, construction of disaster shelters, Dhaka-Ashulia flyover, development of electricity distribution system in Sylhet division, drilling of new gas exploration wells and expansion of kidney dialysis services in medical colleges and district hospitals of the country.
These projects were approved at an ECNEC meeting held at the Bangladesh Secretariat today (July 22). The meeting was presided over by Prime Minister and ECNEC President Tarique Rahman. The Planning Ministry said that the total cost of implementing the eight approved projects will be Tk 14,412.1 lakh.
Of this, the government’s own financing will be Tk 10,494.21 lakh and Tk 3,550.44 lakh will come from foreign loans. Among the approved projects, there are three projects of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. These are – Universal Social Infrastructure Development-2 (First Amendment), Greater Dinajpur (Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh) District Integrated Development Project and Rural Road Maintenance and Employment Project.
In addition, the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry’s Disaster Shelter Construction, Renovation and Development Project (Third Amendment), the Dhaka-Ashulia Flyover Construction Project (Second Amendment) of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges and the Sylhet Divisional Electricity Distribution System Development Project (Third Amendment) of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources have received approval.
Under another important project in the energy sector, approval has been given to dig Begumganj-5 appraisal well and Begumganj-6 and Sunetra-2 exploration wells. On the other hand, the existing kidney dialysis centers of medical college hospitals will be upgraded to 50 beds through the project of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Besides, new 10-bed kidney dialysis centers will be set up in district headquarters hospitals.
The Planning Minister also informed ECNEC about 11 projects already approved at a cost of less than Tk 50 crore. These projects include establishment of a regional office of the National University, Barisal Textile Vocational Institute, mobile network at the third terminal of Shahjalal International Airport, development of various highways, power transmission infrastructure of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, expansion of the Eastern Grid and establishment of a new center of Bitac.