ECNEC meeting approves 8 projects
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman presides over the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). Photo: PMO
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved eight projects.
The approval was given at a meeting held today (Wednesday) at the Cabinet Division conference room in the Secretariat, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Among the projects, three are new and five revised ones. The total cost of these projects is approximately Tk 14,041 crore and 21 lakh. Of this, Tk 10,494 crore and 21 lakh will come from the government's own funds, while Tk 3,550 crore and 44 lakh will be financed through foreign loans.
The approved projects include three under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. These are: Universal Social Infrastructure Development-2 (First Revision), the Greater Dinajpur (Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, and Panchagarh) District Integrated Development Project, and the Rural Road Maintenance and Employment Project.
Additionally, the following projects received approval: the Disaster Shelter Construction, Renovation, and Development Project (Third Revision) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief; the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway Construction Project (Second Revision) under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges; and the Sylhet Division Power Distribution System Development Project (Third Revision) under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.
In the energy sector, another significant project was approved for drilling the Begumganj-5 appraisal well and the Begumganj-6 and Sunetra-2 exploration wells.
On the other hand, under a project by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, existing kidney dialysis centers at medical college hospitals will be upgraded to 50 beds. Additionally, new 10-bed kidney dialysis centers will be established in district sadar hospitals.
During the meeting, the Planning Minister informed ECNEC about 11 projects already approved earlier with costs under Tk 50 crore. These initiatives include: establishing regional offices of the National University, Barishal Textile Vocational Institute, installing mobile networks at the third terminal of Shahjalal International Airport, development of various highways, power transmission infrastructure for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, expansion of the eastern grid, and establishing a new center for BITAC (Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Center).
The meeting was attended by Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Industries, Textiles and Jute and Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdur Muktadir, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md. Asaduzzaman, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud; Water Resources Minister Md. Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie; State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shah Alam; State Minister for Planning Md. Zonaid Abdur Rahim Saki; along with senior government officials of various concerned departments.
