ECNEC allocates Tk 6,316.71cr to give homes to more 2.5 lakh homeless families

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a Taka 6,316.71-crore scheme to give new homes to another 2.50 lakh homeless families under the Ashrayan project.

The approval was given at the ECNEC meeting with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The premier joined the meeting virtually from her official Ganobhaban residence while ministers, state ministers, Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned attended the meeting from the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that the meeting approved a total of 10 projects involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 11,211.44 crore.

“Of the total project cost, Taka 10,713.25 crore will come from the government and Taka 498.19 crore from the concerned organization’s own fund,” he added.

.Of the approved 10 projects, three are new while seven others are revised projects.

The planning minister said the government has approved the 4th revision of the Ashrayan-2 project and extended the tenure of the project up to June 2023.

After the 4th revision, he said, the total project cost is Taka 11,142.87 crore and the whole amount of the project is being spent from the government treasury.

He said the RDPP has been restructured by increasing the construction cost of the single house from Taka 200,000 to Taka 2,40,000.

On the occasion of ‘Mujib Borsho’, he said, according to the Housing Policy for Landless and Homeless, a total of 250,000 families, including the landless and homeless families and homeless families will be rehabilitated under the project.

Meanwhile, the day’s ECNEC meeting also approved a Taka 2,490.96 crore project to develop important infrastructure and roads, including airport under the Chattogram City Corporation.

The Chattogram City Corporation under the Local Government Division will implement the project by December 2024.

Out of the total project cost, Taka 1,992.77 crore will come from the government treasury while the rest Taka 498.19 crore from the city corporation’s own fund.

The project aims to increase various civic facilities of the city corporation.

The other projects approved in the meeting are ‘Building Logistics and Fleet Maintenance Facilities for Bangladesh Coast Guard (1st revision)’ with an additional cost of Taka 135.94 crore, ‘Upgradation of Kumargaon-Badaghat-Airport Road to National Highway means 4-Lane’ with Taka 727.63 crore, ‘Modernization, Digitization and Automation of Bangladesh Television’s Central Broadcasting System (Phase 1) (1st revision)’ with an additional cost of Taka 35.68 crore, ‘Mobile Game and Application Skill Development (3rd revision)’ with an additional cost of Taka 48.28 crore, ‘Polder 43/1 and 44 Rehabilitation under Barguna District and Prevention of Risky Parts from Erosion of Payra River’ with Taka 751.29 crore, ‘Erosion Prevention of Brahmaputra River in Chilmari and Ulipur Upazilas of Kurigram District” (1st revision) with an additional cost of Taka 145.71 crore, ‘Basic and Applied Research on the Jute (3rd revision)’ with an additional cost
of Taka 6.92 crore and ‘BEPZA Economic Zone, Mirsarai-1st Phase (1st revision)’ with an additional cost of Taka 552.32 crore.

At the ECNEC meeting, the Prime Minister unveiled the cover of a book titled “Bangladesh at 50: Realization of Dreams through Humane and Patriotic Leadership’.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Planning Minister MA Mannan, State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam, Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned was present, among others, on the occasion.