The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a total of five projects involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 5,915.99 crore including one for improving the sewerage system of Chattogram (catchment 2 and 4) with around Taka 5,152.55 crore.
The approvals came from a meeting of the ECNEC with its chairperson and Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus in the chair held at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.
Of the total cost for five projects, Taka 1,095.94 crore will come from the Government of Bangladesh portion, Taka 4,787.50 crore from project assistance while the rest of Taka 32.55 crore from the concerned organization’s own fund.
Of the approved five projects, two are new while three are revised projects.
Following the meeting, Planning Adviser Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud briefed reporters, stating that it is now time to make certain policy changes on project implementation elements.
According to him, the interim government has been working to rid development projects of corruption and irregularities since taking office, but they will now pursue the plans’ expedited implementation.
According to the planning adviser, the advisers in the meeting talked about implementing some creative ideas in the fields of education, human resources, and those essential infrastructures.
Citing that the implementation rate of the Annual Development Programme in the first four months (July-October) of the current fiscal year (FY25) was low, he hinted that the ADP might be trimmed due to various reasons like the previous years.
Answering to a question, the Planning Adviser informed that within a day or two all the Ministries and Divisions would be requested from the Planning Commission to implement their ongoing projects in a speedy manner shunning corruption and irregularities.
Besides, Dr Mahmud said he would also write to the advisers personally about the implementation of the development projects.
He informed another questioner that, at the end of the current fiscal year, certain sectors, such as education, may receive proportionately larger allocations than other entities, particularly in the areas of scientific and research materials and equipment, as well as educational equipment.
The Planning Adviser also hoped that if economic stability was restored, a large number of private sector enterprises would enter the market and drive economic growth.
The other projects approved in the meeting are Extension and strengthening of network of eastern region grid, 1st revised, with an additional cost of Taka 459.95 crore, Capacity building of universities in Bangladesh to promote youth entrepreneurs with Taka 93.50 crore, Modern waste and released oil removal management of Mongla Port, 1st revised, with an additional cost of Taka 110.15 crore and Emergency multi-sector Rohingya Crisis response project, 2nd revised, with an additional cost of Taka 99.84 crore.
Besides, the day’s ECNEC meeting extended the timeframe of two projects without raising their costs.
