The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) has approved 13 development projects involving an estimated cost of Tk16,207.55 crore.
Out of the total expenditure, Tk10,800.80 crore will be financed from government funds, Tk4,081.85 crore will be provided as project loans, and the remaining Tk1,524.91 crore will come from the implementing organisations’ own funding.
The approvals were given during an Ecnec meeting held on Wednesday at the Cabinet Division conference room in the Secretariat. Prime Minister and Ecnec Chairperson Tarique Rahman presided over the meeting.
Among the 13 approved initiatives, 10 are new schemes, two are revised projects, and one involves a duration extension.
The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives secured approval for seven projects, while the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges received approval for two.
Additionally, one project each was approved under the Ministry of Shipping, the Ministry of Railways, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.
Under the local government department, the approved initiatives include road infrastructure and drainage system development in 18 wards across five new zones of Dhaka South City Corporation, as well as major infrastructure development and damaged road rehabilitation in Rangpur City Corporation.
A project for constructing roads, drains, and footpaths in Zones 1 to 8 of Gazipur City Corporation was also approved.
The local government ministry’s portfolio further features a scheme focused on women’s skill development and entrepreneurship creation through co-operatives.
In addition, Ecnec approved the second revision of the rural infrastructure development project in Sirajganj, Bogura, and Naogaon districts, alongside the second revision of the important urban infrastructure development project.
For the Ministry of Shipping, the committee approved the third revision of a project to acquire 35 commercial and eight auxiliary vessels and construct two new slipways for the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC). Under the Ministry of Railways, approval was granted for procuring 30 meter-gauge diesel-electric locomotives for Bangladesh Railway under the “Railway Capacity Augmentation Project.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs obtained approval for a project to renovate and modernise its purchased Chancery Building in Paris, France, to make it suitable for operational use.
The two approved projects under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges comprise the construction of the second Karatoa Bridge at the 15th kilometre of the Bhajanpur (Nijbari)-Atwari-Moynaguri-Amtali-Mirgarh-Panchagarh Road, and the second revision of the Thanchi-Rimakri-Modak-Likri Road construction project.
Furthermore, Ecnec approved the construction of a 442 MW peak solar power plant at Rampal in Bagerhat. Aside from the 13 approved projects, ECNEC was also informed about a separate project with an estimated cost of less than Tk50 crore.
