Aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of the farmers and alleviating poverty, the government has launched National Agricultural Technology Programme (NATP-2) with an outlay of Taka 1,878 crore.
Over 28,40,000 farmers families would be benefitted after the implementation of the project in 270 upazilas under 57 districts by September 2021, reports BSS.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved the NATP-2 project along with seven other development projects at its 26th meeting in current fiscal held at the NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting.
Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal, after the meeting, briefed the newsmen about its outcome. He said the eight projects approved today would require total cost of Taka 3,584 crore.
“Of the total project cost, the government will provide Taka 1,571 crore from the national exchequer while the organization concerned would contribute Taka 98.72 crore from own fund and the remaining Taka 1,914 crore would come as from project assistance,” he said.
Kamal said five projects are new while three revised among the approved projects.
Planning minister said Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Department of Fisheries and Department of Livestock Services will jointly implement the NATP-II project.
IDA, IFAD and USAID will come up with Taka 1607 crore project assistance while the remaining Taka 271 crore will come from the state exchequer for the NATP-II Project.
He said under the project, there will be implementation of some 100 competitive research grants proposals, implementation of some 33 programme-based research grants proposal, giving PHD degree to some 80 personnel in home and 60 personnel in abroad to groom skilled manpower in research, infrastructural development of the national agricultural research organizations as well as increasing their institutional capacity and development of ICT sector.
Paddy production in the country is expected to rise by 10 per cent, wheat production by 14 per cent alongside raising the production of fisheries and livestock through implementation of the project, Kamal expected.
Another project “Installation of some 70,000 overloaded distribution transformers under the operations of rural electrification” with Taka 799.94 crore was also cleared by the ECNEC.
Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board will implement the project by December 2017 under its 77 Palli Bidyut Samity areas.
The ECNEC meeting also approved a project titled “Establishment of economic zone in Jamalpur” with Taka 302.58 crore to be implemented by the Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) by December 2017.
The other projects approved in the meeting are Increase supply of quality seeds project with Tk 344.91 crore (3rd revised), establishment of laboratory for controlling the food standard of livestock production and ingredients and livestock foods with Tk 66.13 crore, Installation of single point mooring (SPM) project (1st revised) with Tk 88.83 crore, construction of chancery complex at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia with Tk 47.15 crore and Road widening and development of Gaibandha-Phulchhari-Bharatkhali-Saghata road with Tk 56.46 crore.
Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.
