Staff Correspondent:

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Saturday approved nine development projects with a total estimated cost of Tk 11,851.29 crore.

Of the total amount, Tk 8,046.09 crore will come from government funding, Tk 2,988.95 crore as project loans, and Tk 816.25 crore from the implementing agencies’ own funds.

The approval came at an Ecnec meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in the Planning Commission chaired by Chief Adviser and Ecnec Chairperson Professor Muhammad Yunus.

The approved projects are construction of academic buildings of eight government polytechnic institutes with Tk 451.07 crore, enhancing capacity of 15 government polytechnic institutes with Tk 1,513.95 crore, development of selected private colleges for improvement in education through use of ICT, 3rd revised with a reduced cost of Tk 184.46 crore.

Besides, mosque-based children and mass education programme to promote ethics and religious values, 8th phase with Tk 4,645.58 crore, Recovery and Advancement of Informal Sector Employment  (RAISE): Reintegration of returning migrants, (1st revised) with an additional cost of Tk 91 crore, GRID Power Evacuation System Development for West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited with Tk 539.71 crore, Power Transmission Strengthening and Integration of Renewable Energy with Tk 4,131.42 crore, Urban Climate Resilient Infrastructure Project (UCRIP) with Tk 590.42 crore and PRABRIDDHI (Local Economic Development), (1st revised) with an additional cost of Tk 72.60 crore.

Besides, the Ecnec meeting approved an extension proposal for the Reconstruction of Mymensingh Central Jail (1st Revised) project.

Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud also briefed the Ecnec members about four projects which were approved earlier.

These included Establishment of a Dry Fish Processing Industry in Cox’s Bazar (2nd Revised), Strengthening of Government Video Conferencing Platform (2nd Revised), Construction of Bogura–Rangpur–Saidpur Gas Transmission Pipeline (2nd Revised) and Construction of Elevated Expressway from Lalkhan Bazar to Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram (2nd Revised).