Tk 15cr granted for each constituency

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) yesterday approved a project granting Tk 15 crore for rural infrastructure development work in each respective constituency.
The project of Tk 4,691 crore has been taken to carry out rural infrastructure development works in the constituencies of lawmakers "irrespective of party affiliation."
Ecnec at a meeting approved a total of 10 projects, including this one, to be implemented at a cost of Tk 7,844 crore. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting.
The projects include another for procuring 300 single decker CNG buses for Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation at a cost of Tk 243 crore for plying on the Dhaka city routes.
The tenure of the Tk 4,691 crore project titled "project for rural infrastructure development on priority basis" is from March 2010 to June 2014.
The main works to be done under the project are 1,000 km road improvement in upazilas, 5,100 km village road development, 2,370 km union road development, construction of bridges and culverts on village roads of 49,500 metre.
Planning Minister AK Khandker said the project has been taken for rural development following the lists provided by the lawmakers.
He said MPs from lawmakers from all parties submitted proposals and the project has been taken accordingly. No discrepancy was made on political consideration.
The planning minister said the lawmakers would not be given any money in cash, as it would be done through the Local Government Engineering Department in line with the MPs' proposals.
The 300 CNG buses would be imported with Korean soft loan. The planning minister said the loan has been taken with easy terms and with an interest at the rate of 0.5 percent.
AK Khandker also said the prime minister has directed to reintroduce the double decker BRTC buses on the city routes to ease traffic jam. Now 263 double decker buses are lying out of order.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing dissatisfaction at this said if necessary the BRTC buses would be given subsidy to put those on the roads again.