BSS, Rajshahi :
Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) has been implementing an integrated development project in greater Rajshahi division aiming to improve the overall living and livelihood condition of the rural people in general.
The seven year project titled “Greater Rajshahi Division Integrated Rural Development” is being implemented in 31 Upazilas in Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts with an estimated cost of around Taka 205.35 crore.
Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has been extending financial support worth around Taka 137.30 crore to implement the project that is being executed with the main thrust of increasing rural income and reduce rural poverty through sustainable economic growth, rural development and improve infrastructure.
The uplift scheme includes various infrastructure development and awareness building works like upazila and Union road, bridge and culvert on the upazila, union and village roads, rural market, tree plantation, sanitary latrine, tube well installation, livelihood and pro-poor institutional development.
More than 64-kilometer Upazila roads and 222-kilometer Union roads
alongside 986-meter bridges and culverts are being constructed for overall improvement of transport network of the rural area.
The improved transportation network will facilitate and reduce the
transportation cost and create marketing facility of the produce.
A total of 31 rural markets are being improved to create short and long -term employment opportunity, socioeconomic development and poverty alleviation. Participation of beneficiaries including women and local government institutions in planning, implementation and maintenance activities of the project will be intensified.
To this end, community people are being imparted training on campaigning and awareness building on health and nutrition. Through road maintenance,interests of the beneficiary market laborers group and women market traders along with poor women traders are being protected.
There is also provision of strengthening the institutional capacities and skills of project beneficiaries, local government institutions in planning and implementing agency.
Roadside tree plantation activities on the 159-kilometer improved roads are progressing successfully that will ultimately help reduce carbon emission at a substantial level and reduce the adverse impact of climate change in the vast Barind tract.
Tubewell and sanitary latrines are being provided to more than 7,120 poor and marginalized households for livelihood and pro-poor institutional development. This will minimize the spread of water-borne diseases in the region and increase the availability of safe drinking water.
The scheme is working for capacity building and institutional development through providing training to the Union Parishad representatives, LGED Officials and community groups.
At least 70 percent work on the scheme have so far been completed, the
sources said adding, implementation of these schemes would in fact further strengthen the overall activities of local government bodies and rural markets at the grassroots level.
Ali Ahmed, Superintending Engineer of LGED, here told BSS that the ongoing project is expected to be completed in near future. On completion, the project will contribute enormously in raising the standard of living in the remote villages, he said.
