Ecnec okays four projects of Tk 1,659cr
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) yesterday revised three projects and approved a fresh one worth a total of Tk 1,659 crore.
The first revision of the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam University Physical Infrastructure Development project saw its cost go up by 71 per cent to Tk 840.56 crore from the initially-approved Tk 491.34 crore.
The university will implement the project between January 2018 and June 2023.
The approval came at a meeting at the NEC conference room in Sher-e Bangla Nagar. Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting from her official Gono Bhaban residence through video conferencing.
The physical infrastructure development project of the university has been undertaken to improve the quality of education through the expansion of academic, residential and other facilities.
Besides, it would provide world-class education and increase student admission capacity, according to the project summary.
The revision came about for increase in land cost and of some components as per public works department's new rate of schedule and estimate changes for physical infrastructure design amendment as per consultancy firm's study.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said Hasina directed universities not to take in students beyond their capacity.
He said University Grants Commission was working on limiting student enrollment.
Zakir Hossain Akanda, a planning commission member, said the university was located far away from Mymensingh city and its size was very small when it was initially constructed.
As the number of students, teachers and staff is increasing, new residential halls and residential buildings for teachers and staff have to be constructed, he said.
The Ecnec approved the first revision of an emergency-basis multi-sector project to address the Rohingya crisis, raising the cost by 88 per cent to Tk 1,987.84 crore from the original Tk 1,058.64 crore.
Of the total cost, World Bank and German state-owned development bank KfW would provide Tk 1,967.48 crore as grants and the rest would come from the government.
The project has been revised as the coverage of development activities has widened and new activities have been taken up on the back of the increase in the grant part.
Besides, the new rate of schedule of the public works department has come into effect, which prompted the formulation of a new estimate.
Because of the expansion of the activities under the project, the deadline has been extended by two years and seven months, the planning ministry said.
The project aims to reduce damages faced by Rohingyas and local populations during natural disasters, provide social services, improve drinking water and health systems, lessen damages for fires and render educational services.
The Local Government Engineering Department and the Public Health Engineering Department are implementing the project. The deadline is June 2024.
The Ecnec gave its consent to a new project styled "Creating Self-Employment and Poverty Alleviation by Expanding Bitac Activities with Emphasis on Women in Hand-to-Hand Technical Training (Phase-II)" involving Tk 123.16 crore.
Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Center (Bitac) will implement the project from July 2020 through June 2025.
The project aims to create jobs and entrepreneurs by increasing the skills of 15,000 men and women through hands-on training on various trades and increasing the training capacity of Bitac.
The project areas are comprised of Dhaka North City Corporation, Chandpur municipality, Pahartali of Chattogram, Fultola of Khulna and Bogura sadar.
Prospective candidates from all over the country would be eligible to apply for the three-month residential training.
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