The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) today (22 July) approved eight development projects involving a total estimated cost of Tk14,041.21 crore.

According to the approved allocation, Tk10,494.21 crore will come from the government's own funds, while Tk3,550.44 crore will come through project loans.

The approvals came from the weekly Ecnec meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, at the Secretariat in Dhaka.

According to an official statement, of the eight approved projects, three are new, and five are revised.

Among the approved projects, three belong to the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Ministry. 

These are the first revised Universal Social Infrastructure Development-2 (GSIDP-2) project, the Integrated Development Project for greater Dinajpur (Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh) and the Rural Road Maintenance and Employment Project.

The Disaster Management and Relief Ministry secured approval for the third revised Disaster Shelter Construction, Renovation and Improvement Project.

The Road Transport and Bridges Ministry received approval for Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway Construction Project (2nd revised).

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry obtained approval for two projects: Power Distribution System Development Project for Sylhet Division(3rd revision) and a project to drill one appraisal-cum-development well (Begumganj-5) and two exploratory wells (Begumganj-6 and Sunetra-2).

The Health and Family Welfare Ministry's project(2nd revision) to upgrade existing kidney dialysis centres at medical college hospitals to 50-bed facilities and establish 10-bed dialysis centres at district hospitals was also approved.

The ECNEC meeting was also informed about 11 projects each involving less than Tk50 crore.

These include projects related to 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 different districts.