DHAKA: The Executive Committee of the Bangladesh National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a total of 177 development projects with the outlay of Tk 1,23,404.52 crore in the first year of the current tenure of the AL-led grand alliance government, reports BSS here the other day.
Of the total expenditure to be involved, the government will provide Tk 47,314.9 crore from the national exchequer, Tk 71,688.73 crore will come as project assistance and Tk 4,400.89 crore from the organizations concerned.
In line with Vision 2021 of the AL-led government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the development projects fast-tracked infrastructure, power and energy, ICT, education, health, agriculture and employment are the major areas to expedite economic growth.
In less than a month after the general election, held last year in January 5, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the authorities concerned for quick implementation of six mega projects, including the Padma Bridge, a deep-sea port and the metro rail, involving $15.5 billion to boost the country’s economic outlook. The other three projects are 1320-megawatt (MW) Rampal Power Plant, 1000-MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and the LNG Terminal Project for importing liquid gas.
The government in 2014 also approved the country’s largest ever development project in terms of expenditure. The Matarbari 2X600-MW Ultra Super Critical Coal Fired Power Project involving Tk 35,984 crore was approved at the 19th ECNEC meeting on August 12.
A milestone project for the country – the Bangabandhu Satellite Launching Project – involving Tk 2,967 crore was approved at the 23rd ECNEC meeting on September 16.
To improve power supply to the port city Chittagong, Development of Power Distribution System in Chittagong Division involving Tk 1,099 crore was cleared at the 22nd meeting on September 9. The ECNEC also gave nod to a number of power projects in the past one year, increasing the electricity generation to a record high of 10648 MWs in November last. For facilitating the implementation process of the Digital Bangladesh, a Tk 1,861 crore project was approved at the 9th ECNEC meeting held on April 22 to install NGN Based Telecommunication Networks. Establishment of Wireless Broadband Network for Digital Bangladesh involving Tk 956 crore was also approved at the 12th meeting on May 21.
