ECNEC approves seven projects with an outlay of Tk 23 billion

The government has given the go-ahead to a Tk 3.81 billion project that aims to minimise losses caused by natural disasters including earthquakes in Dhaka, Sylhet, Gazipur and Narayanganj cities.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the ‘Urban Resilience Project’ at a meeting on Thursday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting held at the NEC conference room.

Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said ECNEC endorsed seven projects including the Urban Resilience Project with a total outlay of Tk 23 billion at the meeting.

Of the money, the government will provide Tk 6.53 billion and collect Tk 13.32 by way of project assistance.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the minister stressed the importance of the Urban Resilience Project.

“We can’t resist earthquakes, but we can take measures so that their impacts on human life remain low. That’s why we’ve approved this project,” he said.

Capital Dhaka’s development agency RAJUK, Dhaka North City Corporation, the Department of Disaster Management and Planning Commission will implement the project by 2020.

Kamal said RAJUK would make a plan on the use of disaster risk-prone lands under the project. It will determine the height of buildings to be constructed in different city areas.

He said Dhaka North City Corporation would construct control office equipped with satellite facilities and procure heavy equipment like wheel dredgers, excavators, cranes and mobile generators.

The meeting approved a Tk 520 million project for the maintenance of the main streets within the Dhaka South City Corporation.

The minister said 40-60 percent of construction materials would be reused in repair of roads under the project, which would be implemented by 2016.

Bangladesh Railway will install signalling systems at level-crossings and appoint and 1,889 gatekeepers under two projects approved on Thursday with an outlay of Tk 970 million.

The others are a Tk 2.6 billion project for the repair of six polders in Cox’s Bazar, Tk 740 million project for enhancement of crop intensiveness in 30 Upazilas in Sylhet Division, and Tk 1.38 billion project for protection of the banks of the Sangu and Chandkhali rivers in Chittagong.