The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved the ‘Important Rural Infrastructures Development Project’ with an outlay of Tk 6076.44 crore.
Under this prioritised project, Members of Parliament of some 284 constituencies except the City Corporation areas will get around Tk 20 crore each for constructing roads, culverts and bridges in their respective areas.
The approval was given at the first Ecnec meeting of the current fiscal year with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said a total of eight development projects were approved yesterday with an overall outlay of Tk 10,553.4 crore.
“Of the total project cost, Tk 8,709.84 crore will come from the national exchequer, Tk 395.26 crore from the organization’s own fund while Tk 1,448.32 crore from project assistance,”
Of the approved eight projects, six are new while two are revised projects. Each of these 284 MPs would get the allocation in five years with Tk four crore per year.
The rest of 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. Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) under the Local Government Division will implement the project by June 2019 the cost of which to be entirely borne by the national exchequer. The priority schemes of building necessary roads, bridges and culverts of Members of Parliament of these 284 constituencies would be implemented through this project.
The main objectives of the project are to improve the overall combinations network through facilitating production and marketing of farm and non-farm items, creating short-term and long-term employment opportunities through developing rural infrastructures.
Under the project, there will be upazila road development of some 465.91 kilometers, union road development of some 1430.07 kilometers, rural road development of some 6,173.55 kilometers, construction of some 1109.32 meter bridges or culverts on upazila roads, construction of some 14,254.39 meter bridges or culverts on other roads, some 4596.91 kilometer rural road maintenance, some 1462.06 meter bridges and culverts maintenance on rural roads, some 11 rural market development alongside development of 64 boat landing stations.
Answering to a query, Mustafa Kamal said the Prime Minister at the meeting had directed the Planning Commission and the IMED to properly monitor the execution of this project alongside associating the DCs, UNOs and engineers for implementing this project.
Meeting sources said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the meeting said although a hefty amount is spent on various development projects, cent percent quality is not always ensured.
The Ecnec meeting gave nod to another project titled ‘Procurement of six new ships (three new product oil tankers each having 39,000 DWT, 3 new bulk carriers) with Tk 1,843.58 crore.
Bangladesh Shipping Corporation under the Shipping Ministry will implement the project by 2018. Of the total project cost, Tk 395.26 crore will come from the organizations own fund while the rest of Tk ,1448.32 crore from China Exim Bank.
About the importance of undertaking this project, the Planning Minister said that the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation has now eight ships while the average age of each of these vessels is 30 years.
He also said, the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation could take the responsibility of carrying fuel as the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation per year imports around 30 lakh tons of fuel. Besides, it could also take the responsibility of transporting other cereals, sugar, cement, and fertiliser.
The day’s Ecnec meeting also approved two projects titled ‘Construction of 60 BoPs for BGB in border areas’ and ‘Border management equipment for Border Guard Bangladesh (1st revised)’ with an overall outlay of Tk 131 crore to enhance the capacity of BGB to check intrusion of Rohingyas as well as to check human trafficking, stopping smuggling of various drugs including Yaba through the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
Mustafa Kamal said there are some 883 camps along the border with India and Myanmar. Out of those, some 667 camp buildings have already been built, he said.
Under this project, some 60 camp buildings will be built in 21 bordering districts through which the BGB members would get hygienic and safe accommodation facilities.
The other projects approved at the meeting are construction of long bridges on upazila and union roads (2nd revised) with Tk 2,288.30 crore, construction of ‘B’ class station at Kaliakoir between Mirzapur and Mouchak station for hi-tech park with Tk 48.59 crore, works, improvement of electric and mechanical system of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban with Tk 103.52 crore and construction of 19 modern armory at 19 police units.
Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting. Also were present Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned.
