The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Sunday approved a Tk 5,452.42 crore school feeding programme for government primary schools, aimed at ensuring nutritious food for students and reducing malnutrition across Bangladesh.
The approval came during an Ecnec meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, presided over by Chairperson and Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud revealed that a total of 15 projects had been approved, with an estimated cost of Tk 21,139.45 crore. Of this, Tk 14,193.57 crore will come from government funding, Tk 6,539.29 crore from project loans, and Tk 406.59 crore from the relevant organisations' own funds.
Among the approved projects, seven are new, while eight are revised from the ousted Awami League government’s tenure.
School Feeding Programme Details
The school feeding programme will benefit 3.13 million students from 19,419 primary schools in 150 upazilas, selected based on poverty mapping from the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2022.
The initiative includes the distribution of fortified biscuits, bananas, seasonal fruits, buns, eggs, and UHT milk five days a week. It aims to improve enrollment and attendance rates while reducing dropout rates and malnutrition.
To ensure proper implementation, strict monitoring will be carried out, with Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) overseeing food distribution.
"This programme will significantly enhance students’ nutrition levels and boost school attendance,” said Dr Mahmud.
Other Key Approvals
Ecnec approved several other major projects during the meeting, including:
- Construction of the first terminal and ancillary facilities at Payra Sea Port (Tk 911.19 crore, revised).
- Strengthening the runway and taxiway of Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport (Tk 81.88 crore, revised).
- Land acquisition for constructing a sewerage treatment plant in Chattogram (Tk 2,154.99 crore).
- Sayedabad Water Treatment Plant Phase-3 (Tk 8,496.80 crore, revised).
- Rangamati Medical College and Hospital and Nursing College establishment (Tk 1,293.31 crore).
- Physical protection system at Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (Tk 775.28 crore, revised).
Dr Mahmud emphasised the need to utilise surface water instead of groundwater for sustainable solutions to Dhaka’s water demand. He also highlighted plans for river restoration and actions against encroachment, with 10 rivers, including the Korotoa, Bhagor, and Titas, slated for restoration under a new project.
To improve transparency in government procurement, amendments have been approved to ensure a fully online tendering process, encouraging competition and expediting project implementation.
The Planning Commission is considering an integrated river infrastructure management initiative and better utilization of government-owned land for future projects.
Advisers, Planning Commission members, and secretaries concerned were present at the meeting, which also approved a fourth extension for three projects and reviewed prior approvals of 13 others.
