The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved a project involving Tk 6,179 crore to enhance the electricity network in Dhaka and Mymensingh divisions.
The approval came from the Ecnec meeting held at the NEC conference room. Ecnec chair and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined it through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganobhaban.
The meeting approved six fresh projects and four revised ones.
The total estimated cost of the 10 projects is Tk 10,885.60 crore (only additional costs of the revised ones were counted here), State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam told reporters after the meeting.
Of the cost, Tk 5,142.55 crore will be borne from the government’s fund, while Tk 756.30 crore will come from the own funds of the organisations concerned and the rest Tk 4,956.75 as project loans from foreign sources, he said.
In terms of cost, the three largest new projects are Modernization and Capacity Enhancement of BREB Network (Dhaka-Mymensingh Division) project with an estimated cost of Tk 6178.83, Establishment of Rajshahi Medical University (RMU) with Tk 1,867.08 crore, and Modernization of Power Distribution-Smart Grids Phase-I with Tk 1,067.24 crore.
The rest three fresh projects are Upgradation of Gauripur-Anandaganj-Madhupur-Dewanganj Bazar-Hossainpur District Highway under Kishoreganj Road Division project with Tk 701.53 crore, Reconstruction of Dirai-Shalla section of Madanpur-Dirai-Shalla-Jalsukha-Ajmiriganj District Highway project with Tk 628.54 crore, and Temple-Based Children and Mass Education Program (Phase 6) with Tk 365 crore.
The four revised projects include Upgrading Sirajganj town part of Nalka-Sirajganj-Soydabad Regional Highway (from Shaheed M Mansur Ali Medical College to Wapda junction) into 4-lane one and Upgrading the remaining part into 2-lane one (1st revised) project with additional cost of Tk 63.04 crore (now its cost rose at Tk 327.30 crore), construction of the connecting road from Bogura town to medical college (1st revised) with additional cost of Tk 79.72 crore (now the cost stands at Tk 184.71 crore).
The other revised projects are “Construction of Goma Bridge on Rangamati River at 14t km of Barishal (Dinarerpool)-Lakshipasha-Dumki District Highway (1st revised)” with additional cost of Tk 34.82 crore (now the cost increased to Tk 92.45 crore) and Establishment of Fire Service and Civil Defense Stations at 25 important Upazila Sadar/ places of the country (3rd revised)” with reduction of 130.20 crore in the cost (now the cost declined to Tk 289.18 crore).
Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Health Minister Zahid Maleque, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim, Environment Minister Md Shahab Uddin and Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury were, among others, present.
Source: United News of Bangladesh