Two more projects see allocation increase
The government has revised upwards the allocation for two projects at a time when it is strict about approving funds amid drastic fall in revenue because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It came as the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) gave its consent to five development projects involving Tk 2,570.2 crore, which included two revised ones.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the virtual meeting of the Ecnec.
The prime minister, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and Planning Minister MA Mannan joined the meeting from Ganobhaban through a videoconference, while the other Ecnec members were connected from the NEC Auditorium.
The third phase of the Artificial Reproduction Activities Expansion and Fetus Transfer Technology Project has been revised.
The allocation for the project has increased to Tk 471.7 crore, up from Tk 265.4 crore initially set aside. The project implementation period is January 2016 to December 2022.
An additional 1,000 unions have been added to the project's coverage area.
Ecnec gave its go-ahead for the first revision of the strengthening publicity programmes to improve the living standard of the rural population.
The activities would aim at helping the government implement 10 special initiatives.
They include One Household One Farm project, Shelter Project, Digital Bangladesh, Education Support Programme, Women Empowerment, Electricity at every household, Community clinic, social safety net and protecting the environment.
The initiatives aim at improving the living standard of the rural population, increase their incomes and turn Bangladesh into a middle-income country.
Under the project, the government would raise awareness against drugs, about traffic laws, child marriage and preventing terrorism.
The budget for the project went up to Tk 107.4 crore, which was Tk 59.6 crore when it was undertaken. It would be implemented by November 2021.
The project has been revised as the underprivileged sections in 4,554 unions as well as in municipalities and city corporations have been left out while implementing one of its components, the proposal said.
Ecnec gave its consent for another project to carry out research on buffalo and boost the capacity to increase milk production from river buffalo.
The 63.17-crore project would be implemented in 12 districts between July 2019 and June 2024.
Under the project, the laboratory capacity of the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) would be expanded, shades would be built for buffaloes and a community nucleus of buffaloes capable of producing higher amount milk would be formed.
Ecnec has approved a project that aims to set up substations and capacitor banks in the power system and introduce smart grid in Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) areas.
The project would create an infrastructure to add 1.2 lakh more customers.
The project would cost Tk 1,454 crore and be implemented between July 2020 and June 2023.
Under the project, four 33/11 KV substations would be set up and three existing substations would be renovated. Besides, smart grid systems would be introduced in the DPDC areas on a pilot basis.
The project would improve the power distribution system in Dhaka and Narayanganj city corporation areas, according to a proposal.
Ecnec approved a project to set up 11 Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centres. Bangladesh Hi-tech Park Authority would implement the project.
Under the project, secondary school certificate (SSC) and equivalent-level students would be turned into a skilled workforce in IT. It will develop entrepreneurs in the IT sector and support start-ups.
The centres would be established at Tk 798.9 crore between July this year and June 2025 in Sirajganj, Joypurhat, Dinajpur, Manikganj, Kishoreganj, Narayanganj, Chandpur, Bandarban, Bhola, Kushtia and Meherpur districts.
Answering to a question, Mannan said that the government would not spend any money illogically.
"Rather we will spend more money logically, because if we reduce spending money, then the economy will collapse. But we will have to ensure that the spending is utilised properly and there is no misuse," he said, according to state news agency BSS.
The government has to ensure that the project implementation gets its desired pace and there is no misuse of fund.
Consultancy services, vehicles, foreign trips and training are needed for project implementation as those could not be denied.
But, the executing agencies would have to ensure that foreign trips and training do not become pleasure trips.
Giving approval to a project does not mean that it is giving a blank cheque, he added.
The government has directed the ministries and divisions to pick high-priority projects from the list of the unapproved schemes in the annual development programme as development work has been hamstrung by revenue shortage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Revenue collection in the just-concluded fiscal year dropped 2.3 per cent.
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