The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday approved Rampal solar power plant and 12 other development projects involving Tk 16,207.55 crore.

The projects included 10 new schemes, two revised ones and one involving an extension of the project period.

The government will provide Tk 10,600.80 crore from its own funds, while Tk 4,081.85 crore will come as project loans and Tk 1,524.91 crore from the concerned organisations’ own funds.

Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman presided over the meeting held at the Secretariat.

Of the approved projects, seven are under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives.

These include a project to improve road infrastructure and drainage systems in 18 wards of five newly incorporated regions of Dhaka South City Corporation; infrastructure development in important areas of Rangpur City Corporation; rehabilitation of damaged roads in Rangpur City Corporation; and construction of roads, drains and footpaths in zones 1 to 8 of Gazipur City Corporation.

The ECNEC meeting also approved a project to construct the 442MW peak solar power plant at Rampal under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.

It also approved a project for developing women’s skills and creating entrepreneurs through cooperatives, a rural infrastructure development project in Sirajganj, Bogura and Naogaon districts, and the second phase of the Important Urban Infrastructure Development Project under its second revision.

The Ministry of Shipping’s project for Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) was approved in its third revision.

The project involves procuring 35 commercial vessels and eight auxiliary vessels and constructing two new slipways.

Besides, a railway project for expanding the capacity of Bangladesh Railway by procuring 30 metre-gauge diesel-electric locomotives was also approved.

The ECNEC meeting also approved a Foreign Ministry project to renovate and modernise the purchased chancery building in Paris, France, so that it can be put into use.

Two projects under the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry also received approval. One involves constructing the Second Karatoya Bridge at the 15th kilometre of the Bhajanpur (Nijbari)-Atorkhari-Mayanguri-Amtali-Mirgh-Panchagarh (Z-5060) road and the other is the second revised Thanchi-Rumaikri-Madak-Likri road construction project.

Meanwhile, the ECNEC was informed about a project costing less than Tk 50 crore that had already been approved by the Planning Minister.

The project involves re-excavating the Nandahar and Harabati rivers and the Nungola and Kharoa canals in Joypurhat district.