Delay pushes up Indo-Bangla power transmission grid costs by Tk 5.0b

FE Team | Published: February 20, 2013 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report The government's highest economic policy-making body ECNEC Tuesday approved a Tk 15.80 billion Bangladesh-India cross-border power transmission project, the cost of which swelled by Tk 5.0 billion from the original estimate. Presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) endorsed the project revising its cost to Tk15.80 billion from the original Tk 10.80 billion, Planning Commission officials said. The ECNEC also approved seven other projects at a cost of Tk63.02 billion at its meeting, held in the city Tuesday, the officials said. The state-owned Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) in 2009 undertook the Tk10.79 billion cost cross-border power grid project to construct 40km line High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) line from Bangladesh (Bheramara) to the nearer border in Indian Baharampur district. The government has planned to import 500-megawatt electricity from India utilising the cross-border power transmission line. After the ECNEC, Planning Division Secretary Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam said total eight development projects involving a cost of Tk78.82 billion have been approved at the meeting. Of the total cost, Tk48.14 billion will come from the government's own exchequer and the remaining Tk30.68 billion as project assistance from the external resources. Among the projects, the government's top economic policy-making body has endorsed a Tk20.22 billion cost Sikolbaha 225-megawatt power station construction project in order to reduce power shortage and meet growing demand in the greater Chittagong region. Four Middle-Eastern development partners Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and OPEC fund will provide Tk 13.75 billion funds for the Tk 20.22 billion power generation project. Other projects approved at the ECNEC are: Tk31.90 billion Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane (2nd revised), Tk1.02 billion Eastern Zone Integrated Irrigation Area Development; Tk5.72 billion Leveraging Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Growth Employment and Governance; Tk2.22 billion Support to Development of Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park; Tk780 billion Installation/Shifting of 132-kilovolt (KV), 33KV, 11KV under ground and overhead line at Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover; and Tk1.16 billion cost Rangamati Science and Technology University Establishment schemes. ECNEC members including Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Planning Minister AK Khandker, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, other ministers, advisers to the Prime Minister, members of the Planning Commission, secretaries and officials concerned were present at the meeting.