Dhaka: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved eight development projects involving Tk 1576.32 crore, including one to develop some 1557 km district roads under 10 zones to ensure safe road communication across the country.

The approval came from the 30th ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year held at the NEC conference room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area with ECNEC chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said ‘a total of eight projects were approved on Tuesday with a total outlay of Tk 1576.32 crore. Of the total project cost, Tk 1,560.82 crore will come from the government exchequer while Tk 15.50 crore from the organisation's own fund’.

Of the eight projects, six are new while two are revised projects.

Roads and Highways Department under the Roads and Highways Division will implement a project titled 'Development of district roads (Dhaka Zone, Mymensingh Zone, Chittagong Zone, Comilla Zone, Sylhet Zone, Khulna Zone, Barisal Zone, Gopalganj Zone, Rajshahi Zone and Rangpur Zone)'

The district road development project for upgrading roads would be implemented at a cost of Tk 996.66 crore to be entirely borne by the government.

Under the project, some RCC culverts, drains, RCC box culverts, RCC bridges and pavements will be constructed apart from road development.

The day's ECNEC meeting approved another project titled 'Protection of right embankment of the River Padma for protecting the 'Kuthibari' of Biswa Kobi Rabindranath Tagore and the adjacent areas' at Tk 180.68 crore.

Bangladesh Water Development Board under the Ministry of Water Resources will implement the project in Kumarkhali upazila under Kushtia district by June 2018.

The project aims to protect some 3.72 km right side embankment of the River Padma to protect the 'Kuthibari' as well as Shilaidah Union Parishad and the surrounding agricultural lands, many government and private properties and establishments.

The other projects approved in the meeting are construction of Multistory building for BSCIC in Tejgaon area of capital with Tk 62 crore, construction of Rajshahi Jail Training Academy with Tk 73.42 crore, construction of some 50 circle ASP office cum residential buildings for Bangladesh Police with Tk 38.29 crore, introduction of tourism facilities at Parky and Patenga in Chittagong with Tk 49.61 crore, establishment of upazila livestock development center (ULDC), 3rd phase with Tk 131.15 crore and establishment of fertilizer testing and research center with Tk 44.51 crore.

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