The railway fleet is going to expand as the government has endorsed a Tk 17.04-billion project to procure 200 more broad-gauge passenger coaches.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approves the Bangladesh Railway (BR)'s passenger carriage project along with 11 others at a total outlay of Tk 157.44 billion.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the weekly ECNEC meeting joining it virtually from her Ganobhaban official residence on Tuesday.
She asked the authorities concerned for more research and take steps to produce edible oil locally cutting import reliance with intent to ensure a smooth supply.
After the meeting, planning minister MA Mannan quoted the premier and said she suggested incentivising farmers to boost oil-seed production in the country.
About the approved projects, he said the meeting endorsed the Tk 17.04-billion project to procure 200 broad-gauge passenger coaches.
According to the project proposal, the BR will import the carriages during the period from October 2021 to June 2025 for upgrading its passenger services.
The European Investment Bank would bankroll the project with its Tk 13.31-billion loan support.
Mr Mannan says Tk 116.75 billion of the total 12 projects' Tk 157.44 billion will come from internal resources and Tk 12 million from the implementers.
The remaining Tk 40.68 billion will come from external resources as project assistance, he adds.
Eleven of the projects are new while the other is a revised one, according to the minister.
The ECNEC also approved a Tk 25.55-billion project to enhance the capacity of local government bodies in urban areas to manage Covid-19's impact on the people and brace for any such situation in future.
About higher inflationary pressure, Mr Mannan says the government has increased market intervention with providing low-cost essential items to 10-million families to rein in the trend of inflation.
He expects the inflationary pressure to reduce soon.
State minister for planning Dr Shamsul Alam says despite global inflation alongside the Russia-Ukraine war, the government has been handling inflation nicely compared to other countries.
The general point-to-point inflation rate is 6.1 per cent in Bangladesh which is 15.1 per cent in Sri Lanka, 12.2 per cent in Pakistan, 10.4 per cent in Brazil, 340 per cent in Venezuela, 52.3 per cent in Argentina, 54.4 per cent in Turkey and 9.0 per cent in UK.
Meanwhile, Dr Alam says the PM has directed to continue 40-per cent quota for the successors of the lower-level BR staffers (cleaner/signaling staff) with proper qualifications.
Tuesday's approved projects include 'Supplying water through harvesting of rainwater in coastal districts at Tk 9.61 billion', 'Establishment of Air Force Training Institute at Zohurul Haque Base in Chattogram (first revised) at an additional Tk 1.40 billion', 'Improvement of Governance and Management Research and Training Facilities at Tk 2.28 billion', 'Upgrading three regional and three district highways at Naogaon at Tk 11.82 billion', 'Establishment of external telecommunication network for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant at Tk 3.79 billion' and 'Establishment of seed multiplication farm at South-eastern region of Bangladesh project at Tk 4.39 billion.
The ECNEC also approved 'Expansion of irrigation area and irrigation capacity through expansion of underground irrigation channels and introduction of drip irrigation system on test basis at Tk 3.29 billion', 'Improvement of universal social infrastructures-2 (GSIDP-2) at Tk 10.82 billion', 'Construction of important bridges on rural roads (second phase) at Tk 40.50 billion', and 'Upazila and union road widening and strengthening in Barishal Division project at Tk 26.93 billion.
Ministers, Planning Commission members and higher officials concerned attended the meeting.
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