Ecnec approves power supply project

The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) yesterday approved a project to supply electricity to three lakh people in 21 southwestern districts.
The project to strengthen the power transmission system will get Tk 832 crore, as decided at the Ecnec meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at the National Economic Council auditorium in Dhaka.
The move will raise demand for additional electricity by 230 megawatts, AHM Mustafa Kamal, planning minister, said after the meeting.
The government wants to supply electricity to all by 2021, the minister added.
Under the project, 1,041 kilometres of new power lines will be built and 777 kilometres of power lines will be renovated.

Ecnec gave a nod to another project allowing Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation Industrial City in Rajshahi to be expanded at a cost of Tk 53 crore.
Under the project, 200 industrial units will be set up in three categories.
There are 10,338 industrial units in 74 BSCIC industrial cities, the planning ministry said in a statement.
Kamal said the industries ministry has been asked to place an in-depth report with ECNEC to explain why these plots are still vacant.
Ecnec approved five projects involving Tk 1,535 crore yesterday.