The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a total of five projects worth Tk 1,026 crore, including one project at a cost of Tk 248 crore for the development of hilsa resources in the country.
The approval was given at the ninth ECNEC meeting of the current financial year chaired by ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Finance Minister AHM Mostafa Kamal and Planning Minister MA Mannan took part in a video conference from Ganobhaban and concerned people including ECNEC members from ECNEC Bhaban. After the meeting, MA Mannan said, "At today's ECNEC meeting, we raised five projects and all five are completely new projects." A total of Tk 1,026.13 crore will be spent on these projects and the entire amount will be paid from government funds.
The Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will implement the project titled 'Development and Management of Hilsa Resources' by June 2024 at a cost of Taka 248.28 crore. The project is aimed at increasing the production of hilsa in the country (protection of hilsa less than 9 inches long) as an alternative source of income for about 30,000 fishing families who depend on jatka and mother hilsa. The main activities of the project include operating six sanctuaries and creating alternative employment opportunities for about 30,000 fisher families, providing legal nets to 10,000 fishermen and training 16,000 in alternative jobs. Regarding another new project of setting up 25-bed peace shelters in 8 children's families at a cost of Tk 63.99 crore by the government, Mannan said six 25-bed shelters (old age homes or old age homes) would be built to accommodate the neglected elderly. Peace homes will be set up at Tungipara in Gopalganj, Lalmonirhat Sadar in Mymensingh, Shambhuganj in Mymensingh, Sunamganj Sadar, Maijdi in Noakhali, Baya in Rajshahi, Maheshwarpasha in Khulna and Sagardi in Barisal to facilitate coexistence of both old and young. The project will be implemented by the Department of Social Services under the Ministry of Social Welfare by June 2022. The other two new projects are 'Upgradation of Digpait-Sarishabari-Tarakandi road in Jamalpur to proper quality and width' at a cost of Taka 38.56 crore; Construction of 63 BGB / Modern Observation Post (BOP) Border Areas at a cost of Taka 233.52 crore; Establishment of 25-bed Shanti Nibas in 6 government child transport projects at a cost of Taka 63.99 crore. A revised project is the establishment of 40 technical training centers in 40 upazilas and the additional cost of the Marine Technology Institute's (first revised) project in Chittagong is Tk 335.06 crore. The amendment increases both project cost and time. According to the project data provided by the Planning Commission, the original expenditure was Tk 1,331.30 crore, which has been increased to Tk 1,07.06 crore in the revised project.
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