ECNEC clears 13 projects worth Tk1,988cr

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved 13 development projects involving an overall outlay of Tk1,988.09 crore.

The approval came from an ECNEC meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in the city with Chief Adviser and ECNEC Chairperson Dr Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

Of the 13 projects, three are new, seven are revised, while the remaining three involve time extensions without cost revisions.

Of the total cost, the government will provide Tk1,885.07 crore, Tk53.02 crore will come as project loans and Tk50 crore will come from the implementing agencies’ fund.

Among the projects approved are: PRO-ACT Bangladesh – Resilience Strengthening through Agri-Food Systems Transformation in Cox’s Bazar, Sustainability of Rural Earthen Roads through Herringbone Bond (HBB) Construction (2nd Phase, 3rd Revision), Khulna Division Rural Infrastructure Development Project (3rd Revision); Renovation and Cultural Centre Development of Jamalpur Town (3rd Revision); and Construction of Internal Roads, Drains and Footpaths in Zones 1–5 of Gazipur City Corporation (3rd Revision).

The other projects are: Uttara Lake Development Project (1st Revision), Construction of Bangladesh Chancery Building in Canberra, Australia, Upgradation of Kishoreganj (Binnati)–Pakundia–Mirzapur Tok District Highway to Appropriate Standard (1st Revision), Expansion and Modernisation of BSTI’s Physical and Chemical Testing Laboratories, Ghorashal 3rd Unit Re-powering Project (2nd Revision), Transformation of Pabna Mental Hospital into an International Standard Mental Health Institute and Hospital, Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Level Crossing Gates in the Western Zone of Bangladesh Railway (4th Revision) and Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Level Crossing Gates in the Eastern Zone (5th Revision).

The ECNEC members were also informed about 12 projects earlier approved by the Planning Adviser under delegated authority.

These include initiatives such as Development of the Light Engineering Sector and Creation of E-waste Processing Facilities (2nd Revision), Capacity Enhancement of BGD e-Gov CIRT (2nd Revision), Establishment of Asha’r Alo School for Children with Special Needs in Dhaka, and Modernisation of Handloom Operations for Socio-economic Upliftment of Weavers (2nd Revision).