ECNEC approves 5 projects to develop district highways
UNB
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) yesterday approved five projects to develop district highways in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Rangpur and Sylhet zones spending an estimated cost of Tk 3,368 crore, reports UNB.
The approval came at the weekly ECNEC meeting held at the NEC conference room here with ECNEC Chair-person and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Thirteen projects were approved at the meeting with an estimated cost of Tk 9,518.62 crore, said Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal while briefing reporters after the meeting.
Of the total cost, Tk 6,854.69 crore will come from the national exchequer while Tk 2,592.34 crore as project assistance and the remaining Tk 71.59 crore from the organisations own fund, he said.
All the approved projects are new, the minister said.
About the five highway projects, the minister said the district highways will be developed and expanded spending Tk 766.58 crore in Rajshahi Zone, while Tk 756.80 crore in Khulna zone, Tk 654.43
crore in Rangpur zone, Tk 652.10 crore in Chattogram zone and Tk 538.30 crore in Sylhet zone.
The projects will be implemented in Rajshahi, Khulna, Rangpur and Sylhet zones by June 2020, while those will be completed in Chattogram zone by December 2020.
In terms of cost, the biggest project is Identification System for Enhancing Access to Services involving Tk 1,883.30 crore.
The project has been taken to reach smart national identity cards to all voters across the country.
The second largest project is Construction of 500 MW HVDC (high-voltage, direct current) back-to-back station in Cumilla north for power transmission from Tripura, India involving Tk 1342.26 crore.
The main goal of the project is to ensure necessary infrastructures for the import of 500 MW of Power from Tripura and Asam of India to meet the growing demand of power at the eastern region of Bangladesh.
