Ecnec approves Tk 3,039cr dev projects

The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) yesterday approved eight development projects involving Tk 3,039 crore.
The approval came at an Ecnec meeting at the National Economic Council conference room in the capital with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters afterwards, Planning Division acting secretary Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam said, of the total, Tk 830 crore will come from the public coffer, Tk 2,096 crore from project assistance and Tk 113 crore from community sponsors.
Department of Public Health and Engineering will implement the first project, “Bangladesh rural water supply and sanitation”, by June 2016.
A total Tk 682 crore will be spent to supply piped water to arsenic and salinity-prone villages of 33 districts. World Bank will provide a credit of Tk 555 crore, community sponsors will provide Tk 113 crore and the government would provide the rest.
Besides, non-piped water supply system will be constructed in areas having acute salinity, iron and arsenic problem. Over three lakh low-cost latrines would also be constructed for the ultra poor of selected unions.
Three projects are meant for the railways sector's development.
The first, “Bangladesh Railway sector development project”, will cost Tk 396 crore, of which, Asian Development Bank will provide Tk 322 crore while the government will provide the rest.
The second is “Rehabilitation of Bangladesh Railway main sections (West zone) (1st Revised) project” involving Tk 150 crore and the last is “Procurement of 11 MG Locomotives for Bangladesh Railway” involving Tk 481 crore.
Another “Water management development project (2nd revised)” will cost Tk 982 crore, of which, International Development Association will loan Tk 741 crore and the Netherlands will provide Tk 143 crore as grant.
The government would finance the remaining three projects.
They are the dredging of Pashur Channel Harbour of Mongla Port (1st revised) project (Tk 132 crore), construction/rehabilitation of ferries and pontoons project (Tk 129 crore), and expansion and development of Chittagong College-Kapasgola road (1st revised) (Tk 90 crore).
The Ecnec members -- Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Planning Minister AK Khandker, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury and Communications Minister Obaidul Quader -- were present at the meeting.