The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday approved 13 development projects involving Tk 58,088.92 crore.
The approval came at an ECNEC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
Of the 13 projects, 11 are new, and two are revised.
The government will provide Tk 50,041.20 crore from its own funds, while Tk 7,974.65 crore will come as project loans and the remaining Tk 73.07 crore from the implementing agencies' own resources.
The Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Ministry secured approval for five projects, including safe water supply and sanitation in the Barind region, and restoration, rehabilitation and re-excavation of different canals in Barishal City Corporation, including protection of their banks.
The three other projects under the ministry are the Innovation for Climate Smart Urban Development project, the Social Infrastructure Development Project (SIDP), and the third revised Priority-based Important Rural Infrastructure Development Project-3.
Two projects under the Ministry of Home Affairs involve procuring specialised and operational vehicles to enhance the capacity of Bangladesh Police.
The Ministry of Defence’s project for constructing ‘B’ type officers’ residential buildings on Moinul Road in Dhaka Cantonment was also approved.
Another approved project under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works aims to construct multi-storey residential buildings for government employees at Gabtala Colony in Jigatala.
The Ministry of Science and Technology will implement a project to establish Institutes of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) on the campuses of five medical college hospitals across the country.
The Ministry of Education’s Fifth Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP-5) also received the ECNEC approval.
The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources’ project involves drilling two appraisal-cum-development wells, Titas-32 and Titas-33, at the Titas Gas Field.
The remaining project, under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, aims to construct bridges and culverts up to 15 metres long on rural roads. It is the third revised version of the project.
At the meeting, ECNEC was also informed of five projects costing less than Tk 50 crore each, which had already been approved by the Ministry of Planning.
These include the modernisation of cardiac treatment services at Zia Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute in Dinajpur; ensuring safe internet use for children, adolescents and secondary-level students; and improving traffic infrastructure and road safety in Dhaka North City Corporation areas.
The two other projects are the first revised project for the expansion and modernisation of Dhaka Central Drug Addiction Treatment Centre and the procurement of modern vehicles and equipment to improve waste management in Gazipur City Corporation.