The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved a total of 10 projects involving an estimated cost of Tk 10,885.60 crore during its meeting on Tuesday.
The approval came from the ECNEC meeting held with its Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
The Premier joined the meeting virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence while ministers, state ministers, planning commission members and secretaries concerned attended the meeting from the NEC Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam said, "Today, the Ecnec approved 10 projects worth Tk 10,885.60 crore."
Out of the total project cost of Tk 10,855.60 crore, Tk 5,142.55 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh portion, Tk 756.30 crore will come from the organization’s own fund while the rest Tk 4,956.75 crore as project assistance.
Of the approved 10 projects, six are new while four others are revised projects.
In terms of cost, the three largest new projects are Modernization and Capacity Enhancement of BREB Network (Dhaka-Mymensingh Division) project at an estimated cost of Tk 6178.83, Establishment of Rajshahi Medical University (RMU) at Tk 1,867.08 crore, and Modernization of Power Distribution-Smart Grids Phase-I at 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 is 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 has declined to Tk 289.18 crore).