The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), the government's highest economic-policy-making body, has endorsed 44 projects with a combined cost of Tk 390.94 billion.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the ECNEC meeting, held on Thursday in the capital.
A total of 35 projects were prepared for placing before the ECNEC meeting following necessary scrutiny over the last few weeks while nine others tabled on emergency basis, Planning Commission (PC) officials said.
Of the 44 projects, 14 are revised and the remaining 30 are fresh ones, they added.
Among them, the ECNEC gave its nod to a project of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) for purchasing security gear and equipment amid political violence ahead of the upcoming general elections, as the government approved a Tk 1.15 billion project in this regard.
The list of 50 types of gear and equipment included transceiver, barricade, vehicles, under-equipment search mirror, and metal detector.
The highest economic policy-making body endorsed the project along with 43 others at a combined cost of Tk 390.94 billion, Planning Commission (PC) officials said.
According to officials, the fresh projects would be difficult to implement as the Ministry of Finance (MoF) has recently requested the Planning Commission not to allocate funds from the 'block allocations' under the Annual Development Programme (ADP).
Meanwhile, the MoF in a letter on October 31 requested the Planning Commission to suspend a Tk 116.69 billion block allocation in the ADP.
Following the ECNEC meeting on Thursday, Planning Minister MA Mannan told journalists that Tk 299.53 billion of the total cost for 44 projects will be provided from the government exchequer, Tk 75.797 billion from the external resources and the remaining Tk15.61 billion from the implementing agencies' funds.
Among nine emergency projects, the ECNEC endorsed the "Strengthening of DMP for checking terrorism and protecting law and order project" at Tk 1.15 billion, infrastructure development at Rangpur division project at Tk 4.80 billion, integrated township development adjacent areas of the Sylhet city corporation project at Tk 14.60 billion, and urban infrastructure development at Bogura and Pabna districts project at Tk 7.50 billion.
The ECNEC also approved 35 other projects including construction of multi-storied government office building in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar administrative area of Dhaka at Tk 1.72 billion, re-excavation, expansion, renovation and development of canals for flood relief in Chattogram city project (1st revised) at Tk 86.26 billion, upgrading roads connecting Lakshmipur, Noakhali and Feni districts with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpanagar Economic Zone project at Tk 14.04 billion, and performance based operation and strengthening of Dhaka-Chittagong National Highway (N-1) (Daudkandi-Chittagong Section) to 4-lane for 4 (four) years project at Tk 9.80 billion, and upgrading of Bhanga-Jashore-Benapole highway to 4-lane land acquisition and utility shifting project at Tk 61.40 billion.
Besides, the ECNEC approved the time extension of a project without raising its cost.
Meanwhile, PM Hasina asked the authorities concerned to gradually come out of subsidies initially from utilities like electricity and water to reduce burden on the government, said the planning minister.
He said the PM suggested fixing charges or fees of such utilities considering the perspectives of different areas, income and family status.
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