The government on Tuesday approved a Tk 10.50 billion project to offer technical education to around 260,000 people to meet the growing demand for skilled manpower at home and abroad.
Presided over by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) at a meeting approved the project along with three others involving Tk 25.90 billion.
Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the government would train up the manpower with technical education under the first phase of "Skills for Employment Investment Programme (SEIP)."
In the phase-I, the government is going to train up 260,000 manpower with technical education till the financial year 2017, he said.
The government will set up a total US$ 1.07 billion fund to create 1.25 million-strong manpower by imparting them technical education to cater to the growing demand in the local industrial sector and the overseas job markets, Finance Ministry officials said.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and some other development partners has assured of bankrolling the $1.07 billion government-donor-aided manpower skill development project.
The ADB is expected to offer the largest share of $ 350 million for the billion-dollar programme while the government will provide $ 200 million, the Switzerland government $30 million and the rest of the fund would come from some other development partners.
The ADB is expected to offer the largest share of $ 350 million for the billion-dollar programme while the government will provide $ 200 million, the Switzerland government $30 million and the rest of the fund would come from some other development partners.
The proposed $1.07 billion fund for the programme will be utilised over the next seven years through 2021 financial year to generate skilled manpower in garment, textiles, leather, light engineering, IT, ceramics, software and construction sectors.
Besides, the government will also impart skill development training to people to groom them for the overseas job market, which is a source of more than $ 16 billion annual remittances.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association in Bangladesh, Bangladesh Association of Construction Industries, Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services, Bangladesh Association of Call Centre and Outsourcing, Bangladesh Engineering Industry Owners Association and Bangladesh Ceramicware Manufacturers Association will get the funds from the MoF for creating the required manpower through their training institutes.
In addition, the state-run Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Centre (BITAC) and the Directorate of Technical Education will also get some funds.
On the other hand, the Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) will get a portion of the fund for training manpower in rural areas.
The ECNEC also approved the "Enhancement of capacity of grid sub-station and transmission lines for rural electrification project" at a cost of Tk 13.33 billion for improving the ailing power supply system in the rural areas across the country.
The World Bank would provide Tk 9.12 billion worth of fund, the government Tk 2.13 billion and the project execution agency ---Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Tk 2.08 billion.
The ECNEC meeting also endorsed revision of the "Setting up of Barisal Engineering Collage project" at a cost of Tk 880 million and approved the "Strengthening of the educational engineering department at the district level project" at a cost of Tk1.18 billion.
Ministers, secretaries and high officials of the planning commission attended the meeting.
