The "Ektee Bari, Ektee Khamar" ("One House, One Farm") project is set to be expanded across the country as its cost and duration have been extended.
The second revision of the on-going project has brought about the changes.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved the revision at its meeting held at the NEC conference room in the city yesterday. Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting.
The main objective of the project is to contribute to turning the country's every house into an individual centre of economic activities for an overall rural development as well as reducing poverty to 20% at the national level by 2015.
The original project got ECNEC's approval in November 2009 with an estimated cost of Tk1.2bn and with a duration from July 2009 to June 2014. Later, the project was revised (1st revision) by slashing its duration by one year and by re-fixing its cost to almost Tk15bn.
The first revised project covers a total of 1932 unions of the country. Under the proposed second revision, the project would cover all the unions of the country. The second revision also drags the project duration up to June 2016 and re-fixed its cost at Tk31.7bn.
Under the project, the beneficiaries selected through a survey are being provided with skill enhancing training, loans, grants and technical assistance after forming Village Development Organisations for poor people.
The supply of milking cows, fisheries, poultries and seeds among the poor ones is also going on.
Internet connection would be provided in the project head office, District, Upazilla and Village Development Organisation office along with improving digital MIS management through mobile banking and online banking service.
Besides, the project would ensure the effective use of lands which are left unused by their absentee owners.
After the meeting, Planning Division Secretary Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam briefed the newsmen about the outcome.
He said 10 development projects involving a cost of Tk45.4bn.
