DHAKA, Aug 29, 2023 (BSS) - The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a Taka 3,751.09 crore project to establish 50 technical training centers (TTC) at upazila level in the country to improve the skills of the aspiring youths, willing to go abroad, imparting through 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 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 Taka 14,077.86 crore.

 "Of the total project cost, Taka 12,409.44 crore will come from the government portion, Taka 619.38 crore from the concerned organization's own fund while the rest of Taka 1,049.04 crore 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 centers.

The other projects approved in the meeting are: Smallholder Agricultural Competitiveness Project (SACP), 2nd revised with an additional cost of Taka 419.76 crore, Important Rural Infrastructures Development of Gopalganj district,

 2nd phase with Taka 815 crore, Climate and Disaster Resilient Small-Scale Water Resources Management Project (CDRSSWRMP) with Taka 2,235.80 crore, 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 Taka 378.05 crore,

 Shubhadda Khal reexcavation alongside development and protection of both sides of the Khal under Keraniganj upazila in Dhaka district, 1st phase with Taka 317.59 crore, Mohananda River Dredging and Construction of Rubber Dam under Chapainawabganj Sadar Upazila,

 2nd revised with an additional cost of Taka 64.30 crore, Construction of new building for Bagerhat Collectorate with Taka 130.20 crore, Modernization of Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy Children’s Park with Taka 603.80 crore, Inauguration of two connecting roads from Purbachal 300 feet road to Madani Avenue with Taka 310 crore.

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 Taka 126.77 crore, Ramerkanda-Lakirchar connecting road development project under Munshiganj Roads Division with Taka 514.57 crore,

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 Taka 1,312.43 crore, 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 Taka 194.55 crore,

 Expansion of infrastructures and academic operations of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, 1st revised with an additional cost of Taka 387.33 crore,

Leaving No One Behind: Improving Skills and Economic Opportunities for the Women and Youths in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh with Taka 176.88 crore, Construction of Patuakhali Export Processing Zones with Taka 1,442.78 crore, Economic Census 2023 with Taka 579.53 crore, Establishment of gas distribution pipeline network at Rangpur,

Nilphamari, Pirganj town and adjacent areas, 1st revised with an additional cost of Taka 68.50 crore, construction of Syedpur 150 MW Simple Cycle based power plant, 1st revised with an additional cost of Taka 248.93 crore.

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