The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Saturday approved nine development projects involving a total of Tk11,851.29 crore, including a Tk 4,131 crore project to facilitate evacuation of the planned 1,445MW renewable power from southern Chattogram by 2030.
The Asian Development Bank will provide the lion’s share of the “Power Transmission Strengthening and Integration of Renewable Energy” project being implemented by the Power Grid Bangladesh PLC. It is expected to cut the country’s carbon footprint while ensuring uninterrupted quality power supply to the national grid.
The meeting was held at the NEC Conference Room in the capital, chaired by Chief Adviser and Ecnec Chairperson Muhammad Yunus.
Of the total project costs, Tk8,046.09 crore will come from government funding, Tk2,988.95 crore as project loans, and Tk816.25 crore from the implementing agencies’ own funds.
The approved projects also include construction of academic buildings of eight government polytechnic institutes with Tk451.07 crore, enhancing capacity of 15 government polytechnic institutes with Tk1,513.95 crore, development of selected private colleges for improvement in education through use of ICT, 3rd revised with a reduced cost of Tk184.46 crore.
Besides, mosque-based children and mass education programme to promote ethics and religious values, 8th phase with Tk4,645.58 crore, Recovery and Advancement of Informal Sector Employment (RAISE): Reintegration of returning migrants, (1st revised) with an additional cost of Tk91 crore, GRID Power Evacuation System Development for West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited with Tk539.71 crore, Urban Climate Resilient Infrastructure Project (UCRIP) with Tk590.42 crore and PRABRIDDHI (Local Economic Development), (1st revised) with an additional cost of Tk72.60 crore.
Besides, the Ecnec meeting approved an extension proposal for the Reconstruction of Mymensingh Central Jail (1st Revised) project.
Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud also briefed the Ecnec members about four projects which were approved earlier.
These included Establishment of a Dry Fish Processing Industry in Cox’s Bazar (2nd Revised), Strengthening of Government Video Conferencing Platform (2nd Revised), Construction of Bogura–Rangpur–Saidpur Gas Transmission Pipeline (2nd Revised) and Construction of Elevated Expressway from Lalkhan Bazar to Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram (2nd Revised).