Economic Reporter :
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved a total of 13 projects involving Taka 7,744.47 crore, including one to strengthen and expand the power transmission system in Chattogram region with Taka 1,358.88 crore.
The approval came from the 1st ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year held at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar with ECNEC chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that a total of 13 projects were approved involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 7,744.47 crore.
“Of the total project cost, Taka 6,414.97 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh, Taka 189.06 crore from the organization’s own fund while the rest Taka 1,140.44 crore from project assistance,” he said.
Of the approved 13 projects, 10 are new while the remaining three are revised projects.
Besides, the minister said, the meeting approved a proposal to extend the timeframe of a project without increasing the cost. The project is titled “Establishment of three handloom service centers in different loom intensive area (2nd revised)”.
The Power Grid Company of Bangladesh will implement the Power Transmission system extension and strengthening system in Chattogram project by June 2022 in a bid to upgrade the power transmission system infrastructures at Anwara, Patia, Hathazari and Chattogram City.
The objectives of the project are to facilitate evacuation of produced power to the national grid from the power plants at Anwara upazila and thus meeting the growing demand of power at Chattogram city and the adjacent industrial, residential and commercial areas.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will provide Taka 925.27 crore for the project.
The planning minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the meeting gave a set of directives to the authorities concerned. Her directives include setting up slow moving lanes on the highways for the slow moving vehicles.
Besides, he said, the premier suggested making rest areas on the highways after certain distance, especially with the initiatives from the private sector, having toilet and other necessary facilities.
The Prime Minister directed the Postal Department to adjust their business operations in line with the changing world like introducing various online and financial services since there is no such big trend of exchanging letters now.
She also directed setting up a green park at the main office of the GPO in the city’s Paltan area since the headquarters of the Postal Department is being shifted to Agargaon on a 16-storey building.
The Prime Minister suggested that the universities should not enroll students beyond their capacities rather new universities would be set up to absorb the growing number of students. Side by side, the universities should give due emphasis on conducting researches.
The Prime Minister also said that all the national, regional and district highways would be gradually widened and thickness of those would be enhanced.
The premier also informed that a natural park would be set up at Sonadia while a sea aquarium in Cox’s Bazar.
