The Executive Committee of the National

Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved the ‘Sheikh Hasina Nakshipalli,

Jamalpur (1st phase) Project’ involving Taka 722 crore in a bid to enhance

the civic facilities of the Nakshi entrepreneurs, handloom and handicraft

workers there.

With ECNEC chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair,

the approval came from the ECNEC meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in

the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.

Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan

said that a total of 6 projects were approved today involving an overall

estimated cost of Taka 2,650.75 crore. “The entire project cost will come

from the state exchequer”. All the approved six projects are new projects.

 

The Planning Minister said that the Sheikh Hasina Nakshipalli will be

set up on 300 acres of land situated at Jamalpur Sadar and Melandhoho

upazilas with all necessary facilities.

Bangladesh Handloom Board under the Ministry of Textiles and Jute will

implement the project by December 2021.

Mannan said the project aims to alleviate poverty and improve the living

standards of the Nakshi and handloom workers of those areas side by side

ensuring sustainable development of the Nakshi industry.

He said that Nakshikathas have bright prospects in abroad and once the

project is implemented, the handloom and Nakshi workers would be facilitated

to a great extent.

According to the Planning Commission, Nakshikatha is commonly known as

the brand of Jamalpur and some 300 Nakshi entrepreneurs are producing their

products in all upazilas in the district including Bakshiganj, Dewanganj,

Madarganj, Islampur, Melandhoho and sadar upazilas.

 

Some 261 handloom families live in Jamalpur and Sherpur districts while

there are also some 76 Nakshi entrepreneurs and 3,985 Nakshi artists in

Sherpur.

Since the Nakshi and handloom workers in those areas are passing their

days in difficulty like financial hardship, marketing problem and lack of

patronization, the Ministry moved the project proposal and thus it got ECNEC

approval.

The main project operations include some 300 acres of Land acquisition,

necessary land development, installing water supply system and construction

of boundary walls.

The Planning Minister said the implementation rate of the Annual

Development Programme (ADP) during the July-February period of the current

fiscal year (FY19) reached 39.13 percent with an expenditure of Taka 70,772

crore.

The ADP implementation rate during the July-February period of the last

fiscal year (FY18) totaled 38.01 percent with an expenditure of Taka 62,372

crore.

Referring to the approval of Upgradation of Government Employees

Hospital to 500-bed Project with Taka 379.96 crore, the Planning Minister

said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the meeting asked the authorities

concerned to make the design of the hospital building much more modern having

a good waste management system with the incorporation of an Effluent

Treatment Plant (ETP).

Besides, the Premier directed the implementing agency to keep a food

court at the basement of the Hospital.

The Prime Minister also directed the authorities concerned to consider

keeping separate places for the doctors in all hospitals of the country to

continue their practices.

Besides, she also suggested for keeping day-care centers at the

hospitals side by side keeping separate blocks for the kidney, heart, cancer

and paralyzed patients at the hospitals.

She also encouraged the authorities concerned to come up with projects

for promoting research and boosting production of local fruits.

The other projects approved in the meeting are Upgrading specific

portion of Barishal-Bhola-Laxmipur Highway into due standard and width with

Taka 312.48 crore, Development of Shariatpur (Monohorbazar)-Ibrahimpur

Ferryghat Road with Taka 859.63 crore, Upgrading Nilphamari Domar Road, Boda-

Debiganj Road and Phulbari-Parbatipur Road into due standard and width with

Taka 250.24 crore, Extension, management and production increase of citrus

fruits with Taka 126.44 crore.