FE Report
The government has taken a move to boost gas supply pressure from the country's second largest gas field Titas and another field at Narsingdi as it would set up six compressors, officials said Tuesday.
Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) at its meeting Tuesday approved a Tk 8.68 billion project for installing the gas compressors.
Presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the ECNEC also endorsed 10 other projects at Tk 61.49 billion at its meeting.
The Planning Minister said since the pressure of the country's second largest gas field Titas and another one at Narsingdi has fallen, the government has decided to install the compressors under the newly- endorsed 'Natural Gas Efficiency Project (Installation of Gas Compressors at Titas- Location C and Narsingdi Gas Fields)'.
"In the present circumstances, gas supply from these two fields will come down further within a span of next 3 to 7 years. So, installation of the compressors by June 2020 will enhance the gas supply pressure," the minister said.
The state-owned Bangladesh Gas Field Company Ltd (BGFCL) will install the compressors at Tk 8.68 billion cost. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide Tk 7.29 billion while the remaining funds will be provided from internal resources.
The ECNEC also approved a Tk 29.35 billion 'Construction of Multi-dimensional Cyclone Centre project' for building 556 new centres and repairing the 450 existing ones.
The 556 cyclone shelters will be built at Barisal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Feni, Laxmipur and Noakhali coastal districts in a bid to save lives of the people and domestic animals and wealth from any possible natural disasters.
Mr Mustafa Kamal said: "The coastal districts need 9,250 cyclone shelters. Currently, the country has 3,268 shelters. So the new project, supported by the World Bank, will help save the lives of the people in the coastal districts."
The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) will build the cyclone shelters under the Tk 29.35 billion project by December 2021.
The ECNEC meeting Tuesday approved the Natural Gas Energy Efficiency Project (Installation of Prepaid Gas Metre for Karnaphuli gas distribution company) at Tk 2.46 billion, Modernisation of Fire Service and Civil Defence project at Tk 1.99 billion, construction of two ships for Chittagong-Swandeep-Hatia-Barisal route at Tk 520 million, building of 1st class weather examination centre at 13 river ports at Tk 40 million and mosque-based education (6th phase) at Tk 15.06 billion.
Projects for economic empowerment of the poorest in Bangladesh (2nd revised), fisheries development at Rangpur division, building of technical training centre and hostel at Sonaimuri, Kaliganj, Araihazar, and Mathbaria upazilas and setting up of blood bank were also endorsed by the ECNEC at its meeting Tuesday.
Mr Mustafa Kamal said of the total Tk 70.17 billion cost for the 11 projects, the government would provide Tk 22 billion from its internal resources while the remaining Tk 48.17 billion from the development partners as project aid.
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