Government's highest economic policy-making body Tuesday approved the Akhaura-Laksham rail-track project involving a cost of Tk 65.04 billion inclusive of purchasing 30 vehicles, officials said.
Presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting also endorsed seven other projects at an aggregate cost of Tk 31.22 billion.
Planning Commission officials said the ECNEC approved the Akhaura-Laksham rail track-setting project at a cost of Tk 65.04 billion, amid a strong air of doubt about 'misuse of funds' through allowing procurement of 30 vehicles, including SUV luxury jeeps.
Under the Tk 65.04-billion project the BR in the development project proposal (DPP) proposed purchase of 30 vehicles--5 SUV jeeps, 10 microbuses and 15 double-cabin pickups, said a senior PC official.
According to the project proposal, each of the SUV cars will cost Tk 18.2 million, the double-cabin pickups Tk 10.5 million, and microbuses Tk 5.0 million.
The state-owned railway service provider would upgrade the existing Akhaura-Laksham 71-kilometre metre-gauge (MG) railway to a dual-gauge (DG) double-line one.
Emerging from the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the ECNEC approved a total of eight development projects at a combined cost Tk 106.26 billion.
He said the upgrading of the Akhaura-Laksham railway on the Dhaka-Chittagong rail route would facilitate linking Bangladesh with the planned Trans-Asian Railway in the near future.
"When the route will be included in the Trans-Asian Railway corridor, the neighbouring countries will be able to use the Chittagong seaport to transport their goods. Besides, the local businessmen will also be benefited," he told journalists.
He said the Bangladesh Railway is working to upgrade the Tongi-Bhairab Bazar and Lakhsam-Chinkiastana sections on the Dhaka-Chittagong line into double lines which will improve the freight-transport capacity of the state-owned rail service provider.
AHM Mustafa Kamal said out of the total Tk 106.26 billion costs of the eight ECNEC-approved projects, Tk 25.29 billion will be provided from government's own resources, Tk 54.78 billion from donor-supported project aid and the remaining Tk 26.18 billion from the implementing agencies' own fund.
The other projects are: Tk 9.82 billion Maheshkhali-Anwara gas-pipeline installation, Tk 17.09 billion Bibiyana-Dhanua gas pipeline, Tk 2.24 billion prepaid metering under DPDC, Tk 3.05 billion construction of nine bridges, Tk 5.01 billion stipend for the students at graduation and honours levels (first revised), Tk2.99 billion setting up of computer and language labs and Tk 993.1 million Mandir-based children and mass education expansion.
ECNEC members, Planning Commission Members, and government high officials attended the meeting.
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