The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved the crucial Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant scheme with Russian assistance, the country’s biggest ever project in terms of financial involvement requiring an estimated amount of Taka 1,13,092.91 crore.“Bangladesh Nuclear Energy Commission will implemented the project with an estimated cost of Taka 1,13,092.91 crore by 2025,” Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal told a news briefing emerging from the ECNEC meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.He said the government would provide Taka 22,052.91crore from the national exchequer while Russia will provide Taka 91,040 crore at 4.0 percent interest as project assistance to be paid back in 20 years with a 10-year grace period. The proposed plant, Kamal said, would generate 2,400 megawatt electricity through two units.The minister said the weekly meeting today approved a total of 12 projects with an estimated cost of Taka 1,52,712.41 crore. “Of the total cost of the projects, the government will provide Taka 35,068.73 crore from the national exchequer while the organisations concerned will contribute Taka 1,627.37 crore from their own funds,” he said adding the remaining Taka 1,16,016.31 crore would come as foreign project assistance. The other approved projects are skills for employment investment programme (Phase 1) with Taka 2,107.93 crore, physical infrastructure and research capability strengthening project for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agriculture University with Taka 375.71 crore, national digestive diseases research institute and hospital establishment project with Taka 216.26 crore, electricity transmission expansion and strengthen project under DPDC with Taka 20,501.52 crore, construction of parallel gas transmission pipeline in Chittagong-Feni-Bahkrabad area with Taka 1,962.38 crore, grid inter-connectivity expansion in existing Bangladesh (Beramara) and India (Bohorampur) with Taka 1,877.92 crore, gas transmission pipeline project in Anwara and Fousdarhat with Taka 776.11 crore, construction of land office in city and union across the country with Taka 731.86 crore, construction of Jamuna railway bridge with Taka 9,734.07 crore, construction of Dhaka University academic and residential building project with Taka 619.46 crore, construction and reconstruction of bridge, culvert, wall and roads affected by floods and water logging in Chittagong City Corporation with Taka 716.28 crore. Ministers, State Ministers and Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present, among others.Source: BSS