10 projects get ECNEC nod with outlay of Tk 9443cr
Revised One farm One House project approved
STAFF REPORTER
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) yesterday approved the 3rd revision of the One House One Farm project raising its cost by Tk 6,813.27 crore, aiming to reduce the countrys poverty rate to 10 per cent by the year 2020.
The approval came from the 10th ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year held at the Prime Ministers Office with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting at the NEC-2 in the city, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said a total of 10 projects were approved today with an estimated cost of Tk 9,443.64 crore and thee entire fund will come from the national exchequer.
The Rural Development and Cooperatives Division under the Ministry of LGRD will implement the 3rd Revision of the One House One Farm project by June 2020 with an estimated cost of Tk 8010.27 crore.
The project will be implemented at 40950 wards under 4550 unions in 490 upazilas of 64 districts of the country.
Of the approved 10 projects, seven are new while three are revised ones.
Answering to a question, the Planning Minister said that the operations of the Palli Sanchay Bank will continue alongside the One House One Farm project adding that this project will continue until poverty is eradicated from the country.
He said that the project is a wonderful concept and it encouraged the beneficiaries to engage in savings rather than taking credit. The Planning Minister also hoped that this project would help to include some three crore people into the mainstream of the economy.
The project mainly aims to help reducing poverty rate to 10 per cent from the existing 22.8 percent through turning every household under the project areas to a sustainable agro-based income generating unit.
On July 30, 2013, ECNEC approved the 2nd revision of the Ektee Bari, Ektee Khamar (One House One Farm) project involving Tk 3,163 crore to cover its activities at every village of the country.
The original project received the ECNECs approval in November 2009 with an estimated cost of Tk 1,197 crore and with duration from July 2009 to June 2014. Later, the project was revised (1st revision) by slashing its duration by one year and by re-fixing its cost at Tk 1,493 crore.
The first revised project covers a total of 1932 unions of the country, while under the 2nd revision the project cover all the unions.
Under the project, the beneficiaries are being provided with skill enhancing training, loans, grants and technical assistance after forming village development organisations for poor people based on a primary survey.
According to the latest data of the LGRD Ministry, some 40,181 village development organisations have been formed under the project while some 2,170,998 households have been included under the project. Besides, some 2721.10 crore have been invested in some 22.53 lakh small farms from the project.
The other projects approved at the meeting are Maulana Bhashani Science and Technology University Strengthening Project with Tk 345.77 crore, BFA Bangabandhu Complex Construction, Jessore Project, 1st revised, with Tk 271.15 crore, Construction of Cancer Center at Dhaka CMH with Tk 98.06 crore, Construction of residential buildings
for the officials and employees at BGB Headquarters, Peelkhana with Tk 271.19 crore, completing the rest of works of Bridge over River Surma at Gobindaganj-Chhatak-Doara Bazar road in Chhatak with Tk 112.99 crore, Besides, Establishing Rural Development Academy in Jamalpur with Tk 124.50 crore, Establishment of fisheries unloading centers with other facilities at four places in three coastal areas of the country, 1st revised, with Tk 59.70 crore, Protecting Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga-Khulna National Highway near Haji Shariatullah Bridge area from the River Erosion of Arialkhan with Tk 54.59 crore and Rajoir-Kotalipara flood control, drainage and irrigation project with Tk 95.42 crore were also approved.
Ministers and State Ministers, and Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present at the meeting.
