The seventh meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has been held for the current financial year. And this is the first meeting of the new government elected in the twelfth parliamentary elections. In the first meeting, the government approved 9 projects of various ministries and organizations. The total cost of 9 projects is 4 thousand 453 crores. Of this, government funding is 3 thousand 909 crores. 290 crores from implementing agencies and 254 crores from foreign loan assistance.
Senior Secretary of Planning Department Satyajit Karmakar said, ‘The first revised project of setting up sewerage system in Chittagong city has been taken up by local government department. Because the dollar appreciates it has to adjust its cost. So it could have been approved if it wanted. But due to the instructions of the Prime Minister, it has been omitted.’
Other approved projects are – Integrating Climate Change Adaptation into Sustainable Development Pathways of Bangladesh by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. The cost of this project has been estimated at 60 crore 99 lakhs. The duration of the project is from July 2023 to June 2027. Youth and Sports Ministry’s employment creation project through freelancing training of educated job seekers in 48 districts of the country. Its cost has been estimated at 299 crores and 99 lakhs.
The duration of the project is from January 2024 to December 2026. Through this project, opportunities for employment, self-reliance and foreign exchange will be created by imparting training to educated and job-seeking youth in computer applications, freelancing, basic English and digital marketing. 28 thousand 800 youth will be trained under the project.
Establishment of Super Specialized Hospital (2nd Revised) Project under Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Department of Health Education and Family Welfare. The cost of this project is increasing by 151 crore 39 lakh taka. The original approved cost of the project was 1 thousand 366 crore 33 lakh taka.
Expansion Project of PDBF of Department of Rural Development and Cooperatives Phase II. The cost of this new project has been estimated at 529 crore 61 lakh taka. Electricity Department West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd. Smart Pre-Payment Metering (Phase II) Project for (Ozopadico) Area. The cost of this project has been estimated at 761 crore 31 lakh taka.
The cost of construction of new building of ACC’s Khulna, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Barisal and Sylhet divisional offices and upward expansion of Mymensingh divisional office proposed by the Anti-Corruption Commission has been estimated at Tk 133 crore 48 lakh.
Urban Resilience Project (URP) of Planning Department: Project Coordination and Monitoring Unit (PCMU) (4th Revised) Project. The cost of this project has increased to 36 crore 17 lakh taka.
In addition, the proposal to extend the duration of the ongoing Secondary Education Sector Investment Program (CESIP) (3rd Amendment) scheme of the Department of Secondary and Higher Education has been approved. The total cost of the project is 3 thousand 826 crores 92 lakhs.