The government has approved a mega project to bring 1.5 million rural homes under electricity coverage.
Chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, yesterday's Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) meeting nodded the project costing Tk6,915 crore. The fund will come from government exchequer.
Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) will implement it by December 2018. A BREB feasibility study said 4,42,000km power lines were needed to bring rural areas under power coverage. But hostile terrain prevents covering 12% area.
“Considering this, we need some 3,90,000km power lines whereas about 2,95,000km lines have so far been set up,” Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal told reporters, adding that the remaining power lines would be set up within the next two years.
The project will see setting up of around 44,000km 33KV or lower voltage lines, construction of about 83 33/11KV-capacity new power sub stations, augmentation of 35 existing power sub-stations, 1.5m new power connections and acquisition of 35.7 acre land, he added.
Ecnec approved 16 projects in total costing Tk16,887.81 crore, of which Tk14,041.27 crore will come from state exchequer, Tk596.27 crore from concerned public agencies and Tk2,250.27 crore from foreign development partners.
One of the projects will provide stipend to some 13 million pre-primary to grade-VIII students at primary schools located in 486 upazilas, excluding those in city corporations and municipalities.