The government on Tuesday approved four projects including one for conservation and development of local species of fishes and snails in the country at a combined cost of Tk 5.34 billion.
Presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) endorsed the projects at a meeting.
After the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said the ECNEC endorsed the conservation and development of local species of fishes and snails project at a cost of Tk 2.02 billion.
Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will implement the project in some 49 upazilas under 10 districts in the south-western region of the country by June 2024.
The main objectives of the project include boosting fish production of internal water bodies in those areas to 4.46 lakh tonnes from 3.83 lakh tonnes, holding some 392 local fish species farming exhibitions alongside 15 snail exhibitions, holding some 110 paddy field fish farming demonstrations alongside 392 fish farming demonstrations at pans and capacity development of some 108,847 beneficiaries.
Besides, the ECNEC revised three other projects, increasing costs by Tk 3.32 billion from original project costs.
Mr Mannan said: "Out of total Tk 5.34 billion, Tk 4.41 billion will come from the government's internal resources and the remaining Tk 934 million from external resources as the project aid for the four projects."
The revised projects are: Urban resilience project: Rajuk (1st revised) increasing the cost by Tk 1.06 billion, infrastructure development of Rajshahi University project (1st revision) increasing the cost by Tk 1.47 billion, and widening of approach road and other necessary infrastructure development at Bangabandhu Safari Park project (2nd revision) increasing the cost by Tk 784.3 million.
The Prime Minister, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and MA Mannan attended the meeting from Ganobhaban through a videoconference while other ECNEC members were connected from the Planning Commission in Dhaka.
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