The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) yesterday approved 17 projects involving Tk 14,200.59 crore. The approval came from the weekly ECNEC meeting held at NEC conference room in the capital with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, reports UNB.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said, "A total of 19 projects were placed at the meeting today, but ECNEC approved 17 projects." He said the overall estimated cost of the 17 approved projects is 14,200.59 crore. Of the amount, Tk 11,193.69 crore will come from government fund, while Tk 2,811.62 crore from the funds of the organisations concerned and Tk 195.62 crore as foreign assistance.

Of the 17 projects, 14 are new and the remaining three are revised ones. Among the approved projects, the big ones are Rajshahi WASA Surface Water Treatment Plant Project involving Tk 4,062.22 crore; Development of Electricity Supply System, Chattogram Zone (2nd Phase) involving Tk 2,551.91 crore; and Land Acquisition for Upgrading Faridpur-Bhanga-Baishal-Patuakhali-Kuakata National Highway into Four-lane involving Tk 1,867.86 crore.

The ECNEC meeting, however, did not give clearance to a project titled Banani-Gulshan-Baridhara Lake Development as its implementation will displace some 12,000 people from the project area.

In this regard, the prime minister emphasised taking measures for relocation of the people first before approving the project, the Planning Minister said.

Besides, the ECNEC meeting sent back another project titled 'Mollarhat 100-Megawatt Solar PV Power Plant' to recast it.

The approved projects include Improvement of Road Network at Wards and Construction of Bus/Truck Terminals in Chattogram City Corporation with an estimated cost of Tk 1,229.97 crore; Construction of Houses for Cleaning Workers of Dhaka City Corporation ( 1st revised) with Tk 254.10 crore; Upgrading and Widening Bairagipul (Barishal)-Tumchar-Bauphal (Patuakhali) District Highway with Tk 302.16 crore; Upgrading and Widening Nandigram (Omarpur)-Talora-Dupchachira-Zianagar-Akkelpur (Gopinathpur) District Highway and Nandigram (Kathom)-Kaliganj-Raninagar District Highway For Expanding Trade and Business with Tk 179.23 crore; Construction of Multi-storey Office Building on the Premises of the Foreign Ministry with Tk 63.56 crore; Rural Infrastructures Development in Jashore Region with Tk 952.25 crore; Rural Infrastructures Development of Khulna with Tk 937.92 crore; and Bagerhat and Satkhira Districts; Extension, Repair and Modernisation of Bangabandhu Poverty Alleviation Training Complex at Kotalipara in Gopalganj ( 3rd revised) with Tk 344.74 crore.

The approved projects also include Safe Crops Production through Environment-Friendly Strategy with Tk 172.13 crore; Development of Greater Dhaka District Irrigation Area with Tk 136.73 crore; Bank Protection and dredging of Jamunaiswari, Ghaghot and Korotoa Rivers at Mithapukur, Pirganj, Pirgachha and Rangpur Sadar Upazilas in Rangpur with Tk 134.94 crore; Development of Livestock Resources in Coastal Char-lands with Tk 95.34 crore; The Project for the Improvement of Rescue Capacities in the Coastal and Inland Water with Tk 287.13 crore; Construction of 13 Buffer Godowns in Different Districts of the Country to ensure conservation and distribution of Fertilizers (1st revised) with Tk 628.40 crore.