ECNEC okays eight projects involving Tk. 5,535 crore

The total outlay of the projects is Tk 12,550.78 crore.

The ECNEC approved the projects at its weekly meeting held at the NEC conference room with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

"The Local Governance Support Project-3 (LGSP-3) has been approved involving an estimated cost of Tk 5,535 crore following the successes of the LGSP-1 and LGSP-2," said Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal while briefing reporters after the meeting.

Seven of the approved projects, are new while one is revised, he said.

Of the total project cost, Kamal said, Tk 9,192.39 crore will come from the national exchequer, Tk 873.54 crore from own funds of the organizations while Tk 2,484.85 crore from project assistance.

About the LGSP-3, the minister said the Local Government Division will implement the Tk 5,535 crore project from January, 2017 to December 2021 and of the total cost, the government will provide Tk 3,153 crore and the rest of Tk 2,382 crore will come as project assistance from the World Bank (WB).

While detailing the LGSP-3, Kamal said the main objectives of this project are to build the capacity of local government institutions and the project will be implemented in all 4,550 union parishads.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the authorities concerned to take up a master plan for further development of the country's road communication system and set up signboards with brief description of the projects at the project sites with a view to informing people about the projects concerned.

At the same time, the Prime Minister also gave direction to take up plan for allocation of land for the landless people in 'char' area and construction of homes under Asrayan projects.

Kamal said Bangladesh's image is excellent in the world now. Saudi newspapers reported that Saudi entrepreneurs are interested to invest in Bangladesh and some of them are considering Bangladesh as their second home, he added.

"Bangladesh's image has been brightened in Saudi Arabia after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit here in June last year," he said.

Other projects approved in the ECNEC meeting are: Climate Tolerant Rural Infrastructures Project (Tk 418.48 crore), Khulna Division Rural Infrastructure Development Project (Tk 2,635.70 crore), infrastructural facility development of Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) Mirpur Cantonment (Tk 421.09 crore), Development of Ananna Residential Area (2nd phase) at Agrabad in Chittagong (Tk 2,832.98 crore), building connecting road from Natore Road (Ruet) to Rajshahi Bypass (Tk 139.87 crore), construction of Barisal and Sylhet Armed Police Battalion (APBn) and Range Reserve Line (Tk 231.65 crore) and construction of Patuakhali-Paira 230 KV Transmission lines (Tk 336.01 crore).

Ministers and state ministers, and secretaries concerned were present.