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Govt to develop ponds, canals in 400 upazilas

Ecnec approves 9 projects involving Tk 103.32 billion


| Updated: October 13, 2017 23:34:58


Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presides over the weekly meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic of Council on Tuesday at the NEC conference room. -Focus Bangla Photo Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presides over the weekly meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic of Council on Tuesday at the NEC conference room. -Focus Bangla Photo

Aiming to preserve surface water, the government is set to develop and re-excavate ponds and canals in 400 upazilas in the country.

 

The Executive Committee of the National Economic of Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved the 'Countrywide pond and canal development project' with an estimated cost of Tk 13.35 billion in this regard, reports UNB.

 

The approval came from the weekly Ecnec meeting held at the NEC conference room with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

 

Briefing reporters after the meeting, State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan said the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) will implement the pond and canal development project by June 2023 in 400 upazilas under 56 districts.

 

Mannan said, the successful completion of the project would also help to improve the drainage system and forest management through tree plantation.

 

It will also help to maintain the environmental balance and help handle the flood and excess rain waters, the minister said.

 

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the authorities concerned to enforce strict monitoring during the implementation of the project so that no irregularity can take place.

 

The Prime Minister also suggested involving local public representatives, including MPs, upazila and union parishad chairmen, to ensure its smooth implementation.

 

According to the Planning Commission, the Integrated Water Resources Management Unit (IWRMU) under the LGED made a district-wise list of ponds and canals after making in-field inspections.

 

As per the survey, there are some 14,910 khas ponds, 3,493 institutional ponds and 6,536 khas canals across the country.

 

Out of those, 921 Khas canals (2,372 km) and 1,611 institutional ponds (1702 acres) will be re-excavated.

 

Tuesday's ECNEC meeting approved nine projects with an overall cost of Tk 103.32 billion.

 

"The cost of all the projects will come from the national exchequer," Mannan said.

 

Of the approved nine projects, five are new while four are revised ones, he said.

 

The Ecnec meeting also approved the 'Construction of Somajseba Complex in 64 districts (22 districts in 1st phase)' project entirely with government fund.

 

The Department of Social Services under the Ministry of Social Welfare will implement the project by June 2020.

 

The other projects approved at the meeting are: Primary education stipend project, 3rd phase, with Tk 69.23 billion (1st revised), Upgrading Begumganj-Sonapur portion of Feni-Noakhali highway into four-lane with Tk 3.29 billion, Upgrading Sirajganj town portion of Nokla-Sirajganj-Saydabad regional highway into four-lane and the rest of two lane with Tk 2.64 billion, Construction of Bangladesh-Myanmar Moitree road (Balukhali-Ghundhum) border road, 1st revised, with Tk 1.15 billion, Construction of Kushtia road bypass road, 2nd revised, with Tk 1.06 billion, East-west road construction from Rajshahi-Naogaon main road to Mohonpur Rajshahi Natore road, 1st revised, with Tk 1.83 billion and Left riverbank protection of Dhaleshwari River under Delduar Upazila in Tangail with Tk 1.14 billion.

 

Ministers, State Ministers, Planning Commission members and Secretaries concerned were present.

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