DHAKA, May 10, 2022 (BSS) - The Executive Committee of the National
Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a total of 11 projects involving
Taka 5,825.74 crore including setting up "Sheikh Kamal IT
Training Incubation Center (14)" project with Taka 1,114.63 crore.

The approval came from the ECNEC meeting with its Chairperson and
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The Premier joined the meeting virtually from her official Ganabhaban
residence while ministers, state ministers, planning commission
members and secretaries concerned attended the meeting from the NEC
Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said
a total of 11 projects were approved today involving an overall
estimated cost of Taka 5,825.74 crore.

Of the approved 11 projects, eight are new while the rest three
projects are revised ones, he said, adding: "Of the total project cost, Taka
3,963.38 crore will come from the government while Taka 1,220.46 crore from
the organisations own funds and Taka 641.90 crore as project assistance."

Mannan informed that Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority under the
Information and Communication Technology Division will establish the
14 IT training centers with a cost of Taka 1,114.63 crore by December
2026.

He said the 14 training centers will be established in 14 districts of
seven divisions-- Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet, Rangpur
and Mymansing.

He said the objective of the establishment of IT training and
incubation centers in 14 districts are the creation of infrastructural
facilities for conducting business activities of IT or Hi-Tech related
industries, the creation of academic bridges with the IT industry and
creating a platform for young entrepreneurs of the Business Process
Outsourcing (BPO) sector in every region of the country.

Mannan said the incubation centers will develop students of minimum
SSC or equivalent level as skilled manpower in IT or ITES and to help
them for becoming entrepreneurs by providing start-up support in the
field of information and communication technology.

 The approved projects include three projects under Power, Energy and
Mineral Resources Ministry, two projects under Local Government, Rural
Development and Cooperatives Ministry, two projects under Road,
Transport and Highways Division, one project under the Home Ministry,
one under the Post, Telecommunications and ICT Ministry, one under
Shipping Ministry and another one under the Education Ministry.

 The two projects under Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry
are 'Renovation and Modernization of Existing 33/11kv Wooden Pole
Mounted Substations in BREB (Phase-1)' project with Taka 679.725
crore, 'Implementation of Smart Distribution System in Nesco Area"
project with Taka 241.09 crore, and the 'Installation Absolute Point
Mooring (SPM) with Double Pipeline (third Revision)" project with Taka
556.36 crore.

The two projects under the Local Government, Rural Development and
Cooperatives Ministry are-- 'Local Government Initiative on Climate
Change (LoGIC) (first revision)' project with Taka 137.35 crore and
'Establishment of Sheikh Jahurul Haque Rural Development Academy,
Jessore" project with Taka 198.95 crore.

 The two projects under the Road, Transport and Highways Division are--
'Properly Up-gradation of Hili (Land Port)-Dugdugi-Ghoraghat National
Highway (N-521) under the Dinajpur District Road Division and
Construction of Reside Pavement and Drain in Market Area and
Re-Construction of Narrow or Dilapidated Culvers of the three
Important Roads' project with Taka 463.72 crore and Sherpur
(Kanasakhola)-Bhimganj-Narayankhola-Paranganj-Mymensingh (Rahmatpur)
Road Development' project with Taka 1,842.27 crore.

The other projects approved in the meeting are 'Development and
Rehabilitation of Gorautra, Bolai-Srigangan Rivers under the Mithamain
Upazila part and Dhanu River and Namakuran River under Itna Upazila
and Part of Dhaleswari River in Austagram Upazila' project with Taka
342.26 crore, 'Construction of Ansar and Village Defense Forces Armory
(first phase 40)' with Taka 64.68 crore and Establishment of Technical
School at 100 Upazilas (second Revision)' with Taka 2,520.40 crore.