Today, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus attended at the ECNEC meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. Photo: PID

DHAKA, March 23, 2025 (BSS) - The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a Taka 5,452.42 crore feeding programme for the government primary schools in a bid to ensure intake of nutritious foods by the primary school students and thus reducing their malnutrition.

The approval came from a meeting of the ECNEC held at the NEC Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area today with ECNEC Chairperson and Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus in the chair.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud said that the day's meeting approved a total of 15 projects with an overall estimated cost of Taka 21,139.45 crore.

"Of the total project cost, Taka 14,193.57 crore will come from the Government of Bangladesh portion, Taka 6,539.29 crore as project loan while the rest of Taka 406.59 crore from the concerned organization's own fund," he said.

Of the approved 15 projects, seven are new while eight are revised projects.

The school feeding programme also aims to enhance the enrollment and presence by the students at the primary schools side by side helping them completing successfully their primary school studies.

Under the programme, some 3.13 million students at 19,419 primary schools under some 150 upazilas would be given nutritious foods like fortified biscuits, bananas/seasonal fruits, bun, eggs and UHT milk on five working days a week.

The project areas under 150 upazilas under 62 districts of eight divisions have been selected based on the poverty mapping of the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2022.

Commenting on the project, the Planning Adviser said that strict management and monitoring would be ensured during the distribution of such dry foods among the primary students so that such food items could not be sold out by the vested quarter in local markets.

He said the UNO's would be asked to properly monitor the programme so that the students properly get the food items.

"Such programme will help to ensure nutrition of the students...it will also be possible to address drop outs and thus keeping the students at schools," he added.

The Planning Adviser said that the meeting was discussed about taking an initiative to determine the actual volume of land owned by the different entities of the government to ensure optimum utilization of government owned lands.

Citing that various government agencies and entities like Bangladesh Railway, Bangladesh Water Development Board, Zilla Parishad, own huge land alongside the khas lands, Dr Mahmud said these lands should be sorted out and new projects could be undertaken in those lands which are in suitable locations and are viable. Besides, the various industrial estates, BSCIC, closed down jute mills and sugar mills have unutilized lands while those could be utilized if necessary.

He informed that the Planning Commission could take an initiative on the integrated river infrastructure management to ensure optimum usage of surface water.

The Planning Adviser informed that the Ministry of Water Resources might take a project in this year to revive some 10 rivers in the country including Korotoa, Bhagor and Titas while efforts would be there to make those rivers free from encroachers.

He said that the Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) under the Ministry of Planning would be strengthened further while the implementation progress of all the projects would be posted online in an effort to expedite the implementation pace.

Dr Mahmud said that the amendment to the government procurement policy has been approved by the Advisers Council recently to bring much more transparency in the tender process side by side ensuring more competition.

He also informed that the tendering process under projects would be made cent percent online in the coming days in a bid to enhance competition.

Answering to a question, the Planning Adviser said that the revised project on the Sayedabad Water Treatment Plant has been given approval subject to condition.

He said that there would be no sustainable solution to the water demand of the capital through lifting ground water rather surface water must have to be utilized fully.

Referring to the 2nd revision of the Payra Sea Port project, the Planning Adviser said that the project had been a "Malignant Tumour" for the country's economy as it doesn't even have the potential for a river port, let alone dreaming for having a seaport.

He said that the channel along the port is very long and it would need dredging every year for maintaining the navigability there which is also very costly.

The other projects approved in the meeting are: Construction of first terminal and ancillary facilities at Payra Sea Port, 2nd revised, with an additional cost of Taka 911.19 crore, Enhancing the strengths of the existing runway and taxiway of Chattogram Shah Amanat International AirPort, 1st revised with an additional cost of Taka 81.88 crore, Land acquisition for constructing sewerage treatment plant at Kalurghat area in Chattogram Metropolitan with around Taka 2,154.99 crore, Strengthening Institutions for Climate Change Adapted Water Resource Management in Dhaka with Taka 53.40 crore.

The approved projects also include Sayedabad Water Treatment Plant, Phase-3, 2nd revised with an additional cost of Taka 8,496.80 crore, Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center (2nd revised) with an additional cost of Taka 397.01 crore, Development of switching and transmission network towards strengthening digital connectivity, 3rd revised with a reduced cost of Taka 0.01 crore, Road widening and construction of two-storey road from Panchbati to Mukhtarpur Bridge, 1st revised with an additional cost of Taka 1076.03 crore, Establishment of Rangamati Medical College and Hospital and Nursing College with around Taka 1,293.31 crore, Establishment of 10 government secondary schools adjacent to Dhaka metropolitan, 2nd revised with an additional cost of Taka 53.35 crore, Maintenance and overhauling of affected food godowns and other ancillary infrastructures across the country with around Taka 255.32 crore, Maintenance and overhauling of record rooms at countywide Deputy Commissioner's Offices with around Taka 68.97 crore, developing proven bull for boosting production of milk and meat with around Taka 69.48 crore and Constructing physical protection system at Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, 2nd revised with an additional cost of Taka 775.28 crore.

The meeting also approved time extension for fourth time against three projects while the ECNEC meeting was also apprised about the prior approval of 13 projects by the Planning Adviser.

Advisers concerned attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.