Photo: Collected-
Metropolis Report –
The appropriate authorities have been urged by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to adjust the cost of development projects to reflect the rise in the cost of building supplies like cement and iron. It reflects the requests of contractors, who have been requesting pricing modifications as the cost of construction materials has increased and damaged development projects.
The directive was given by the prime minister on Tuesday in Dhaka during the Executive Commission of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting.
This information was provided to journalists by Planning Minister MA Mannan during a news conference on the meeting’s results.
He claimed that the execution of development projects has been complicated by the rising costs of numerous building materials, including rods, cement, and stones. “The matter was discussed in the Ecnec meeting for obvious reasons,” the planning minister continued.
He elaborated further, saying that the overall expenses, which are initially projected in project proposals, frequently vary during the execution stage.
“As a result, the prime minister has directed that the costs of development projects be revised to keep up with the general increase in construction costs,” he continued.
According to MA Mannan, the significant increase in the value of the dollar has caused development projects’ costs to rise. “In this situation, the Prime Minister has directed the Finance Division, the Planning Commission, and others concerned to adjust the cost of the development projects by the increase in the value of the dollar,” the speaker stated.
Sheikh Hasina also instructed the pertinent agencies to take action to reclaim the frozen cash and have the High Court rule on all tax-related disputes.
To avoid having a detrimental effect on other surrounding places, the premier instructed the authorities to use prudence when carrying out initiatives like building cross dams in coastal or island locations. According to the planning minister, Sheikh Hasina made this directive when authorizing the project to build a cross dam along the border between Chattogram and Noakhali.
To avoid area-based duplication in development projects, she directed collaboration among pertinent agencies. She emphasized the necessity of preventing overlap between various development initiatives because it results in a waste of tax dollars.
At the ECNEC conference, 15 projects totaling Tk18,010 crore were authorized.
The “My Village My Town” pilot project was authorized during the meeting. The Local Government Engineering Department will provide the necessary infrastructure for 15 villages to have contemporary amenities as part of this initiative.
A project for the Design and Construction Quality Enhancement for the Resilience of Private Buildings worth Tk70.58 crore was also authorized at the ECNEC conference. The project will be carried out by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
Modern equipment would be purchased as part of the project, according to Planning Division Secretary Satyajit Karmaker during the press conference. This will make it simple to assess the caliber of the rod utilized in a building’s construction.
The creation of Sylhet Medical College and the second phase of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Film City are two notable projects that ECNEC has approved.
