Tk 3.5b RCC uplift programmes

RAJSHAHI, Apr 26 (BSS): The Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) has been implementing Tk 3.50 billion projects for development of the metropolis and other projects of Tk 3.20 billion in the pipeline. RCC Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton revealed this while addressing the installation ceremony of the newly elected executive body of the Rajshahi Decorator Owners Association at Safawang Community Center as the chief guest here Monday night. Mayor Liton said a project of Tk 1.50 billion is being implemented for construction of the tertiary drains while the scheduled primary drains are going to be constructed at a cost of Tk 0.74 billion. Besides, he said the under-construction 50-megawatt power generation plant at Katakhali will go into operation by July next while the pipeline-based gas supply to the city will resume simultaneously. He hoped that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the projects. Just after taking power, he said the present council of RCC has adopted various development schemes and has launched the nighttime household-waste removal program on the preliminary stage. In this context, he reiterated his call to make the programme a total success for the sake of creating a habitable atmosphere. Meanwhile, he stated that the present council has been working relentlessly for ensuring transparency and accountability in all the development activities so that the city dwellers could derive total benefits of the programmes. With the association president Bimal Qumar Sarker in the chair, association advisers Dr Abdul Mannan and Golam Sarwar Swapan and members Shawkat Ali, Nandalal Roy and Majharul Islam spoke on the occasion, among others. More land brought under jute cultivation UNB adds : Inspired by higher prices, jute growers are bringing more lands under cultivation of the cash crop in the region in the current season. Department of Agricultural Extension sources said target has been set to bring 1.198 million hectares of land under jute cultivation in 2011-12 fiscal year while 11.38 hectares were cultivated in 2010-11 in the division. Of the total land, 1.188 million hectares will be brought under Tosha variety while the rest under local variety with an output target of 1.283 million bales. In 2009-10 fiscal year only 7,081 hectares were brought under cultivation in eight districts of Rajshahi division while 1.138 million hectares were cultivated in 2010-11 fiscal year due to its high price in the market. Bumper production would be achieved if weather conditions remain favourable in the days to come, growers and agriculture officials said. Farmers said the jute growing areas have widened, as farmers are increasingly interested in reaping gains from the high prices as seen last year. Now, per mound jute is selling at Tk 1300-1500 in the local markets, they said. They alleged that seeing the increasing demand for jute seeds the unscrupulous seed traders have doubled the prices of local and Indian variety of seeds. Preferring anonymity a BADC official of Rajshhai region said the dealers have been selling jute seeds at higher prices although there is no crisis of jute seeds at present. However, farmers are also facing problem in cultivating jute due to absence of rain. Aminul, a farmer of Bagdhani village of Poba Upazila, said he sows seeds on three bighas of land but plants did not come out due to draught.