ECNEC clears 10 projects involving Tk 9,333cr

Of the total project cost, Tk 8,488.71 crore will  come from the government’s own funds, while Tk 844.87 crore will be financed through project loans.

The approval came at an ECNEC meeting held at the NEC Conference Room at the Planning Commission on Wednesday with Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman in the chair.

The approved projects include two under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

These are the replacement and reconstruction of unusable structures at Dhaka Medical College and construction of 19 modern hostel buildings for students of 10 medical colleges.

The Roads and Highways Department’s project titled “Capacity Development for Smart Maintenance Technology of Bridges under Roads and Highways Department in Bangladesh” was also approved.

Two projects under the Ministry of Water Resources involve protecting Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila from erosion along the right bank of the Dharla River and strengthening the coastal embankment at Bashbaria ferry ghat in Sitakunda, Chattogram, and the stretch from the ferry ghat to Kumira ghat.

The ECNEC also approved a project for rehabilitation and strengthening of rural roads under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives.

A project for strengthening the capacity of the Department of Livestock Services was approved under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.

Two power sector projects were also approved- construction of a 100 MW solar power plant at Madarganj in Jamalpur and expansion and strengthening of electrical infrastructure in the DESCO area of Dhaka.

The ECNEC further approved an infrastructure development project for Ramu Cantonment under the Ministry of Defence.

Meanwhile, the meeting was informed nine projects costing less than Tk 50 crore that have already been approved by the Planning Minister.

The projects include a feasibility study for establishing a BSL-3 laboratory and enhancing vaccine and biologics research capacity, the Bangladesh Environmental Sustainability and Transformation (BEST) project, the Sundarbans Protection Project.

Besides, expansion of the south-western transmission grid, construction of a 132/33/11 kV underground grid substation in Gulshan, improvement of the electricity distribution system under DPDC, expansion and strengthening of mosque libraries, optimal use of new media for public service delivery, and improvement of pre-primary and primary education in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh district and Bhahashan Char of Noakhali district.