ECNEC approves Tk 37.51b project for 50 technical training centres

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today (Aug 29) approved a Tk 37.5109 billion project to establish 50 technical training centres (TTC) at the upazila level in Bangladesh to improve the skills of the aspiring youths, willing to go abroad, imparting through the necessary training.

The approval came from a meeting of the ECNEC held with its chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at the NEC Conference Room in Dhaka city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.

Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that a total of 20 projects were approved today involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 140.7786 billion.

"Of the total project cost, Tk 124.0944 billion will come from the government portion, Tk 6.1938 billion from the concerned organisation's own fund while the rest of Tk 10.4904 billion as project assistance," Of the approved 20 projects, 13 are new while 7 are revised.

The ECNEC meeting also approved the extended timeframes of five projects without increasing expenditure of those.

State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam, planning commission members and secretaries concerned were present at the briefing.

Planning Commission officials said the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) under the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment will implement the project for setting up the TTCs with entire government fund by March 2028.

The main project operations include land acquisition, construction of buildings, procurement of machineries, furniture, appointing skilled trainers for the training centres.

The other projects approved in the meeting are: Smallholder Agricultural Competitiveness Project (SACP), 2nd revised with an additional cost of Tk 4.1976 billion, Important Rural Infrastructures Development of Gopalganj district,

 2nd phase with Tk 8.15 billion, Climate and Disaster Resilient Small-Scale Water Resources Management Project (CDRSSWRMP) with Tk  22.3580 billion, Implementing protection works for protecting the infrastructures built on Noler Char at Hatia upazila of Noakhali district from the river erosion of Meghna River with Tk 3.7805 billion, Shubhadda Khal reexcavation alongside development and protection of both sides of the Khal under Keraniganj upazila in Dhaka district, 1st phase with Tk 3.1759 billion, Mohananda River Dredging and Construction of Rubber Dam under Chapainawabganj Sadar Upazila, 2nd revised with an additional cost of Tk 643 million, Construction of new building for Bagerhat Collectorate with Tk 1.302 billion, Modernisation of Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy Children’s Park with Tk 6.038 billion, Inauguration of two connecting roads from Purbachal 300 feet road to Madani Avenue with Tk 3.1 billion.

The other projects approved in the meeting are: Construction of Borobhanga Bridge on the 25th kilometer of Sylhet (Telikhal)-Sultanpur-Balaganj (Z-2013) Highway under Sylhet Division with Tk 1.2677 billion, Ramerkanda-Lakirchar connecting road development project under Munshiganj Roads Division with Tk 5.1457 billion, Establishment of 500-bedded hospital and ancillary building in Jashore, Cox’s Bazar and Pabna and Abdul Malek Ukil Medical College and Nurul Haque Modern Hospital, Noakhali, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 13.1243 billion, Child, Maternal and health management component: Modernization of diagnostic imaging system at medical college hospitals of eight divisional cities, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 1.9455 billion, Expansion of infrastructures and academic operations of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 3.8733 billion, Leaving No One Behind: Improving Skills and Economic Opportunities for the Women and Youths in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh with Tk 1.7688 billion, Construction of Patuakhali Export Processing Zones with Tk 14.4278 billion, Economic Census 2023 with Tk 5.7953 billion, Establishment of gas distribution pipeline network at Rangpur, Nilphamari, Pirganj town and adjacent areas, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 685 million, construction of Syedpur 150 MW Simple Cycle based power plant, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 2.4893 billion.

Ministers, State Ministers, Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned attended the meeting.