The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved a big project to set up double-circuit 400 KV transmission lines to extend the high voltage power transmission infrastructures in the northern part of the country at a cost of Taka 3,322.34 crore to import power from India, Bhutan and Nepal in future.
The approval came from the ECNEC meeting held on Wednesday at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area 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 yesterday involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 12,459.79 crore.
“Of the total project cost, Taka 9,481.77 crore will come from the GoB portion, Taka 154.45 crore will come from the organization’s own fund while the rest Taka 2,823.58 crore from project assistance,” he added.
Of the approved 13 projects, 10 are new while three others are revised projects.
The Planning Minister said once the transmission line project is implemented, it will be possible to import power from Indian 1600 MW Power plant to be set up by Adanai Group at Jharkhand.
The imported power will be later transmitted to Sylhet, Chattogram and other parts of the country from Kaliakoir.
Mannan said that the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Limited (PGCB) under the Power Division will implement the project by June, 2022.
Of the total project cost, Taka 1,424.26 crore will come from the GoB portion, Taka 153.44 crore from the organization’s own fund while the rest of Taka 1744.62 crore as project assistance under the Indian $2 billion Line of Credit.
The main project objectives include setting up the transmission line for evacuating power from the proposed 2 x 800 MW power plant to be set up at Jharkhand in India by Adani Group.
The main project operations include erection of 120 kilometer 400 KV double-circuit transmission line from Boropukuria to Bogura, erection of 140 kilometer 400 KV double-circuit transmission line from Bogura to Kaliakoir, extension of two 400 KV AIS bay at the 400/230 KV power substation at Kaliakoir, and extension of two 230 KV AIS bay at Parbotipur 230 KV switching station.
Once the project is completed, it will also be possible to import power from Nepal and Bhutan through this transmission line in future.
About the implementation progress of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the July-January period of the current fiscal year, Mannan said the ADP utilization rate reached 34.43 percent during this seven-month period with an overall expenditure of Taka 62,282 crore.
The ADP implementation rate during the July-January period of FY18 was 33.35 percent with an expenditure of Taka 54,718 crore.
The Planning Minister said another project for constructing multi-storey buildings for the insolvent freedom fighters at upazila and district levels has been withdrawn from the meeting.
He said that the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has requested to withdraw the project proposal from the meeting following requests from the freedom fighters to build houses on their own homesteads.
“We remained committed to the freedom fighters and the ministry will come up with a revised project proposal in this regard,” he added.
