No more construction of buildings in the name of projects: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has insisted on proper utilisation of the projects coming out of the tendency to construct buildings and purchasing foreign cars.

She gave the insistence at a meeting of the ECNEC held at the NEC Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
The meeting approved a total of 9 projects with an overall of estimated cost of Tk 1,730.38 crore.

At the meeting, the prime minister directed to appoint 'independent project directors (PDs) at the development projects.

"Offcials of the ministries should not be given additional charge as PD. In such cases, no responsibility is performed properly," the prime minister said.

Sheikh Hasina also said attention should be given so that only buildings are not constructed through projects, because it is found that there is no manpower and equipment after construction of the buildings.

The Prime Minister also advised to abandon the farming of Piranha and African cat fish. Instead, she insisted on farming local varieties of fish like puti, kholisha, tengra and shrimp.

At the same time, the prime minister directed to use jeeps assembled at Pragati. "Local companies will be benefited if Pragati's jeeps are used. Besides, we have to say human resource development instead of poverty alleviation from now on. We must have to abandon the negative words."

She also called for increasing the cultivation of lentil from now on.

Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said the meeting approved a total of 9 projects with an overall of estimated cost of Tk 1,730.38 crore.

"Of the total project cost, Tk 633.52 crore will come from the government, Tk 1.44 crore from the concerned organization's own fund while the rest of Tk 1,095.42 crore as project assistance."

The Local Government Division under the Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives will implement the Strengthening of village courts (3rd phase) project with a cost of Tk 426.35 crore.

Of the total project cost, Tk 157.51 crore will come from the government fund while the rest of Tk 268.84 crore as grant from  the EU and UNDP.

Once the project is implemented, it would be possible to fulfill the demands of rural people related to Justice side by side the capacity of the local authorities would be enhanced in delivering due legal services.

The other projects approved in the meeting are: Enhancing capacity of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police in combating terrorism and ensuring public security, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 229.82 crore, construction of 112 residential flats for the officials of Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat at
Agargaon with Tk 98.22 crore, Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 588.67 crore, feasibility study to construct important bridges on rural roads with Tk 80 crore, countrywide mobile library project, 2nd revised with an additional cost of Tk 37.47 crore, the
project for the improvement of equipment for technical education with Tk 98.01 crore, Establishment of Dhaka Technical Teachers Training Institute, 3rd revised, with a reduced cost of Tk 2.55 crore and Installation of prepaid gas meter for TGTDCL, 3rd revised with an additional cost of Tk 174.39 crore.

Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.