Ecnec approves eight projects of Tk 7,868cr

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) yesterday approved two big projects in the power sector in a bid to develop power transmission system between Dhaka and Chittagong.

The approvals were given at the weekly Ecnec meeting at the NEC conference room with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said a total of eight projects were approved with an overall outlay of Tk 7,868.03 crore.

Of the total project cost, Tk 3,026.72 crore will come from the state coffer, and Tk 4,301.68 crore from project assistance.

Of the eight projects, six are new while two are the revised ones.

The planning minister said the Dhaka-Chittagong Main Power Grid Strengthening Project will be implemented at a cost of Tk 4,567.49 crore by the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) by December 2020.

Of the total project cost, Tk 1,340.40 crore will come from the national exchequer, Tk 459.53 crore from the organisation's own fund, while Tk 2,767.56 crore as project assistance from JICA, a development partner.

The main objective of the project is to transmit power from Matarbari 1,200 MW coal-based power plant.

Under the project, Kamal said, power will initially be transmitted from Dhaka to Chittagong. On completion of the construction works at the Matarbari coal-based power plant, the additional power will be brought from Chittagong to Dhaka.

The Ecnec meeting also gave nod to another power sector project titled 'Matarbari ultra super critical coal-fired power plant (2) (PGCB portion: Matarbari-Modunaghat 400 KV transmission line) project with Tk 1,091.81 crore.

PGCB under the Power Division will implement the project by December 2020. JICA will provide Tk 787.10 crore as project assistance.

The main objective of the project is to evacuate the generated power from Matarbari 1200 MW coal-based power plant and to meet the increasingly growing demand for power in Chittagong area by setting up 92-kilometre 400-KV power transmission line from Modunaghat to Matarbari.

One of the projects was for the replacement of old machinery at Thakurgaon sugar mills and incorporation of necessary machinery for producing sugar from sugar beet, 1st revised, with Tk 411.10 crore.

Another project was: children, maternal health and development of health system (Component-2) and modernisation of diagnostic imaging system at seven divisional medical college and hospitals with Tk 795.77 crore.

Other projects include further development of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (2nd phase) with Tk 352.68 crore; Tarail-Panchuria flood control, drainage and irrigation (2nd phase), 1st revised, with Tk 322.01 crore; and protection of Sonaikandi to Bulonpur areas of Rajshahi metropolis from the erosion of river Padma with Tk 268.17 crore.