Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday asked the authorities concerned to keep water reservoirs beside all the industries.
Besides, she also asked to strengthen and improve waste management system at every factory and industry across the country.
Sheikh Hasina came up with these instructions at the Meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) held at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nogor area, informed Planning Minister MA Mannan during a briefing to the journalists after the meeting.
Sheikh Hasina, also ECNEC chairperson, presided over the meeting.
The Ecnec approved a Taka 20,525.69 crore project to set up some 329 technical school and colleges at upazila levels in a bid to build skilled Human Resources in the country.
“I’m asking the authorities concerned to keep water reservoirs beside every industry and factory. When a fire incident takes place, there is no arrangement of water to douse the fire. Besides, waste management should be strengthened,” the prime was quoted during the briefing.
“I’m also asking all of you to tell the people to construct open-house instead of a closed one. If the house is constructed with open space, air and sunshine can easily enter into it,” she said.
She also asked the authorities concerned to send teachers abroad for training.
BSS adds briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that a total of eight projects were approved today involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 22,945.84 crore to be entirely borne from the state exchequer.
Of the approved eight projects, six are new while two others are revised projects.
The Planning Minister said the establishment of 329 technical school and colleges at upazila level (2nd phase) is like a “star project” of the government since it wants to make the youths of the country technically skilled.
Mannan said that various types of technical trainings are very much necessary to groom the youth force as suitable for joining the labour market abroad and thus boost the inward remittance flow.
The Planning Minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the meeting asked the authorities concerned to impart proper training to the teachers of these technical schools.
He said the Premier even directed the authorities concerned to undertake a ‘crash programme’ for providing intensive training to the teachers and, if necessary, sending them abroad.
The Directorate of Technical Education under the Ministry of Education will implement the project by December 2024 in a bid to create employment opportunities and skilled Human Resources to successfully face the challenges of the future job market.
Besides, SSC (vocational) and HSC (vocational) courses would be launched in those new technical school & colleges, as well as technical and stipend education, will be expanded across the country. Apart from this, four trade and four short-term para trade courses would also be introduced in these proposed new technical schools & colleges.
” The prime minister also asked the authorities to further strengthen the waste management system at the industrial-sector as well as setting up Central Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) where it is necessary,” he added.
The planning minister informed that the Prime Minister also underscored the need for keeping water bodies or water reservoirs nearby any establishment or any project infrastructure to be set up. She also directed the architects to keep an adequate ventilation system and verandas in government buildings.
The Prime Minister renewed her directives to the project officials to refrain from wastage and any misuse during the implementation of the development schemes side by side completing those in the stipulated timeframe, he said.
Answering a question, the planning minister said the government is aware of the fact that the development projects often experience time over-run and it is also trying its best to reduce such time over-run.
Mannan said the delay in land acquisition is still the number one problem in project implementation which the government is trying to address with extreme care while the government is also pursuing so that the project directors remain in their project sites during the implementation period.
He said the government pursues the policy of not constructing any new road, rather to strengthen and widen the existing roads and highways with constructing necessary underpasses and overpasses.
The other projects approved in the meeting are Establishment of BSCIC Industrial Park, Sirajganj, 3rd revised, with an additional cost of Taka 91.11 crore, Construction of Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) building with the enhancement of its capacity with Taka 143.30 crore, Establishment of Sheikh Hasina Medical College & Hospital and Nursing College, 1st revised with an additional cost of Taka 233.92 crore, Development of selected educational institutions at Haor areas in Kishoreganj with Taka 393.41 crore, Upgrading Betgram-Tala-Paikgachha-Koira Road into due standard with Taka 339.58 crore, Construction of Laxmipur road connecting road and Laxmipur-Char Alexander-Sonapur-Maizdi road widening with Taka 369.43 crore and Bhola (PoranTalukderhat)-Charfashion (Charmanika) regional highway development with Taka 849.40 crore.
Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and Secretaries concerned were present.