http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=118850
Southwest to get gas
Tk 531cr pipeline project to start in January; main target to set up power plants
Staff Correspondent
The government is going to set up gas pipeline from Kushtia to Khulna to build power plants both in government and private sectors.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) at a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair yesterday approved a Tk 531 crore Southwest Region Gas Distribution Network Project to this end.
The gas will be supplied to industrial units. Some selected energy-starved areas will also get it for domestic uses.
A total of Tk 3606 crore was okayed at the meeting for 11 development projects including the Southwest Region Gas Distribution Network Project.
Of the Tk 531 crore project, Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide Tk 280 crore as project aid.
A planning ministry official said the project will begin in January next year and end in June 2012.
According to project document Kushtia, Jhenidah, Jessore, Khulna and Bagerhat will come under this gas distribution network project.
Planning ministry official said it had a plan to set up several power plants through public-private partnership (PPP). The pipeline will be set up to provide gas connection to the plants.
However, the prime minister told the meeting to leave an option open for providing gas connection to other areas in this region.
UNB reports: Under another project titled ‘Supply Efficiency Improvement of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited’ under the energy and mineral resources division, involving Tk 56 crore, 7,000 prepaid meters will be installed by 2012.
Planning Division Secretary Mohammad Habibullah Majumder revealed the decisions to reporters after the meeting.
He informed that they are now in a good position for implementing the Annual Development Programme (ADP), which reportedly has made moderate progress.
The other approved schemes include: procurement project for four 108 TEU Self Propelled Multipurpose Container-carrier Ships under the Shipping Ministry involving Tk 138 crore, improvement of solid waste management in Dhaka city towards the low carbon society through enhancing waste transport capacity project under the Local Government Division with Tk 102 crore and converting Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University into center of excellence (2nd phase) project under the Health and Family Planning Ministry with Tk 485 crore.
