The government yesterday approved a project worth Tk832 crore for establishing three lakh new electricity connections in 41 upazilas under 21 south-western districts in the country.
The project will be completed by June 2018. Of the total project costs, the government will spend Tk788 crore from its own coffer while rest of Tk44 crore will be provided by the West Zone Power Distribution Company.
The project was one of the five projects with total outlay of Tk1,525 crore, approved by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) at the NEC conference room with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
The demand for power will be increased by 230 megawatt for adding the new electricity connection to the national grid, said Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal after the meeting.
The government will meet this additional demand for power by rehabilitating the existing power plants and setting up new power plants as well.
According to this power distribution project, some 1,081 kilometer(km) new power distribution line will be set up while 777 km power line to be rehabilitated, three new power plants will be built and another 11 power plant will be repaired.
Of the total five project cost, Tk1,491 crore will come from the national exchequer, while Tk44 crore from the own funds of the respective organisations.
The ECNEC also approved Rajshahi BSCIC Industrial City Expansion project.
The total outlay of the project has been fixed at Tk53 crore for acquisition of 30 crores of land to set up new 200 industrial units. The government will complete the project by July 2017.
Of the total industrial units, 10% will be kept reserve for women entrepreneurs, said the Minister.
At present, Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) has 74 industrial cities in the country with a total of 10,338 units. Of them, different industries have been set up on 4,100 units.
The meeting also approved ‘Dhaka Central Jail (Keraniganj) project involving Tk406 crore under which two separate prisons, one for male and another one for female will be built.
These two jails will accommodate 600 prisoners along with a 20-bed hospital under the project to be completed by June 2017.
The revised cost of the project increased 69% from its original cost of Tk317. The project was first taken in 2006.
The ECNEC meeting also approved a project worth Tk134 crore for saving Lalamohon upazila under Bhola district from river erosion and another project of Tk110 crore for constructing dormitories for the BUET students in the capital.
