5 Lakh Pregnant Women and Mothers To Receive Financial Assistance

The districts of Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Jamalpur, Sherpur and Mymensingh have been selected on the basis of Poverty Map formulated by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).

The poverty rate in these districts is more than 35 per cent alongside high-level of malnutrition.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a project to this end tilled "Income Support Program for the Poorest (ISPP) project" involving Taka 2,377 crore.

The approval came from the ECNEC meeting held at the NEC conference room in the city's Sher-e-Banglanagar with ECNEC chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal said the ECNEC approved a total of eight development projects including the ISPP with the outlay of Taka 4,490 crore.

"Of the total project cost, the government will provide Taka 1,636 crore from the national exchequer while the organization concerned will contribute Taka 7.44 crore from own fund and the remaining Taka 2,847 crore will come as project assistance," he added.

Besides, Kamal said for the ISPP expenditure, government would provide TaKa 37.81 crore and IDA of World Bank will provide the remaining Taka 2,340 crore.

He said five lakh poor and distressed women would be selected from 16 lakh families of 443 unions under 42 upazilas of seven districts of Rangpur and Dhaka Division.

"The poor pregnant women would be brought under medical check-up four times during their pregnancy and they will be given Taka 200 each every time," he added.

Besides, the pregnant women and the mothers would get Taka 500 each through participation in every workshop regarding child nutrition and improved education, said the planning minister.

"In addition, children aged between zero and 24 months would be given Taka 500 per month as physical growth test while children aged between 25 and 60 months would be provided Taka 1,000 each in every three months as their physical growth test," he added.

Local Government Division will implement the project by June 2020.

The day's ECNEC meeting approved another project titled "Dhanua-Elenga and West Bank of Bangabandhu Bridge Nalka Gas Transmission Pipeline (BD-P78: Natural Gas Efficiency Project" with Taka 979.17 crore to be implemented by the Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) by June 2019.

Of the total cost for the project, the Planning Minister said, the government would provide Taka 464 crore while organization concerned will contribute Taka 7.44 crore and Taka 507 crore will come from JICA.

Under the project, around 66-kilometer long pipeline with 30- inch diameter would be set up in eight upazilas of Sirajganj, Tangail, Mymensingh and Gazipur districts in a bid to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to the existing and under construction power plants, fertilizer factories and other industries.

The other projects approved in the meeting are Gopalganj BSCIC Industrial Estate Expansion (2nd revised) with Taka 98.85 crore, expansion of Gouripur-Homna road to Comilla-Sylhet highway project with Taka 77.89 crore, rehabilitation of 50 BG and 50 MG passenger carriages for western zone of Bangladesh Railway with Taka 71.81 crore, Gorai River recovery project, 2nd phase (1st revised) with Taka 676.55 crore and irrigation expansion project in Barind area through preserving water in canals with Taka 125.23 crore.

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