Dhaka: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has given the green light to eight significant development projects, with a total estimated cost of Tk 14,041.21 crore. This decision was made during an ECNEC meeting chaired by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman at the secretariat.

According to United News of Bangladesh, the government will fund Tk 10,494.21 crore from its own resources for these projects, while Tk 3,550.44 crore will be sourced as project assistance. The approved initiatives consist of three new projects and five revised ones, spanning various sectors.

Three of the approved projects fall under the jurisdiction of the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Ministry. These include the first revised Universal Social Infrastructure Development-2 (GSIDP-2) project, the Integrated Development Project for greater Dinajpur encompassing Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, and Panchagarh, along with the Rural Road Maintenance and Employment Project.

The Disaster Management and Relief Ministry secured approval for the third revision of the Disaster Shelter Construction, Renovation and Improvement Project. Meanwhile, the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry received the nod for the second revision of the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway Construction Project.

The Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry obtained the ECNEC’s approval for two projects: the third revision of the Power Distribution System Development Project for Sylhet Division, and a project to drill one appraisal-cum-development well (Begumganj-5) as well as two exploratory wells (Begumganj-6 and Sunetra-2).

In the health sector, the Health and Family Welfare Ministry’s project to upgrade existing kidney dialysis centres at medical college hospitals to 50-bed facilities and establish 10-bed dialysis centres at district hospitals was approved in its second revision.

Additionally, the ECNEC meeting was briefed about 11 projects, each with a budget of less than Tk 50 crore. These projects involve establishing three regional offices of the National University, setting up the Barishal Textile Vocational Institute at Gournadi, installing a mobile network at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s Third Terminal, upgrading sections of regional and district highways, developing power transmission infrastructure for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, expanding the eastern grid network, and establishing six BITAC centres in various districts.