Dhaka: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved six development projects with an outlay of Taka 1,817.28 crore, including a poverty alleviation scheme.

The poverty alleviation project would help the small and marginal farmers so they could sell their crops at a reasonable price.

The meeting of the ECNEC was held at the NEC Conference Room in Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, reports BSS.

Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal, after the meeting, briefed reporters about the outcome. He said: ‘The government would provide Taka 1,802.68 crore from the national exchequer for the six development projects while the organizations concerned would contribute Taka 14.60 crore from own fund.’

Turning on the poverty alleviation project, the planning minister said: ‘Initially, the project would be implemented in five districts on trial basis and later it would be expanded to other districts.’

He said they have taken the project to assist the farmers so they could sell their crops at a reasonable price after the harvest. ‘We would provide them (farmers) with loan before the harvest to bear family expenses and other needs.’

If they get money, Kamal said, they would not be forced to sell the crops from land at low price.

‘Each farmer would get loan of Taka 20 to 30 thousand under the scheme,’ he added.

The project is scheduled to be implemented by June 2020 with Taka 74.26 crore.

Other projects cleared by the ECNEC are: Development of rural infrastructure in Faridpur (Taka 625 crore), Polder rehabilitation project at coastal Patenga, Anwara and Patya in Chittagong (Taka 280.30 crore), Satkhira Town bypass road connecting Bhomra landport (Taka 176.60 crore), land acquisition at Sonagazi in Feni for 100MW solar and 100MW wind power project (Taka 102.92 crore) and development of drainage system (2nd phase) of Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra (DND) area (Taka 558.20 crore).

Ministers and state ministers attended the meeting while members of planning commission and secretaries concerned were present.