MPs To Get Tk. 20 Crore In Five Years For Infrastructural Development

To this end, the government has launched "Important Rural Infrastructures Development Project" involving Taka 6076.44 crore on priority basis for the constituencies, except the City Corporation areas.

Each of 284 MPs would get the allocation in five years with Taka 4 crore per year. The 16 MPs under the City Corporation areas alongside the MPs of reserved women seats, would not get the allocation now. But, very soon another project will be undertaken for the MPs of the city corporation areas.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today at its first meeting in the new fiscal 2015-16 year approved the project. The meeting was held at the NEC conference room in city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar with ECNEC chairperson and the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal after the meeting briefed newsmen about its outcome. He said the ECNEC today cleared a total of eight development projects including the rural infrastructures development with the outlay of Taka 10,553 crore. "Of the total project cost, the government will provide Taka 8,710 crore from the national exchequer while Take 1,448 crore would come as project assistance and the organization concerned will contribute Taka 395 crore from the own fund," added the Planning Minister.

Of the approved eight projects, six are new and two are revised projects.

Talking about the project for the MPs, Mustafa Kamal said: "The MPs couldn't spend the allocated fund directly rather they will send their desired working list to the LGED for implementation."

The main objectives of the project are to improve the overall
communication network through facilitating production and marketing of farm and non-farm items, creating short-term and long-term employment opportunities by developing rural infrastructures.

Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) under the Local Government Division will implement the project by June 2019.

Replying to a query, Planning Minister said the Prime Minister in the meeting has directed the Planning Commission and the IMED to properly monitor the execution of this project alongside associating the DCs, UNOs and engineers for implementing the project.

The ECNEC gave nod to another project titled "Procurement of six new ships (three new oil tankers each having 39,000 DWT, 3 new bulk carriers)" with Taka 1,843.58 crore. Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) will implement the project by 2018. Planning Minister said BSC has now eight ships and the average age of each of these vessels is 30 years.

To-day's ECNEC meeting also approved two projects "Construction of 60 BoPs for BGB in border areas" and "Border management equipment for BGB (1st revised)" involving Taka 131 crore to enhance the capacity of BGB to check intrusion of Rohingyas as well as to check human trafficking, stopping smuggling of drugs including Yaba through the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

The other projects approved in the meeting are: construction of long bridges on upazila and union roads (2nd revised) with Taka 2,288.30 crore, construction of 'B' class station at Kaliakoir between Mirzapur and Mouchak station for hi-tech park with Taka 48.59 crore, works, improvement of electric and mechanical system of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban with Taka 103.52 crore and construction of 19 modern armory at 19 Police Units. Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.