The government has initiated a big move to construct climate and disaster resilient small-scale water resources infrastructures as well as strengthening those in a bid to reduce risk of flooding to some 87,000 hectares of land and boosting agricultural productivity in the country.
A draft project worth Taka 2,235.80 crore and titled "Climate and Disaster Resilient Small-Scale Water Resources Management Project (CDRSSWRMP)" will be placed before the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today.
ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the meeting to be held at the NEC Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.
Talking to BSS, a senior Planning Commission official said that the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) under the Local Government Division will implement the project with an estimated cost of Taka 2,235.80 crore.
Of the total project cost, Taka 426.92 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh portion, Taka 1,615.83 crore as project assistance while the rest of Taka 193.05 crore as project grant from the ADB, IFAD and the Netherlands.
The project will be implemented at some 341 upazilas under 42 districts of eight divisions by June 2029.
Talking to BSS, Planning Commission Member (Secretary) of the Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institution Division AKM FazlulHaque said that under this big project, some 150 new schemes or sub projects would be formed, where Water Management Cooperatives Association (WMCA) will ensure development, sustainable operations and maintenance of those schemes.
He informed that through the materialization of the new schemes, the risk of flooding would be reduced while land would be developed and reclaimed through rehabilitation and modernization of the Bakkhali Rubber Dam in Cox's Bazar.
"Besides, some 110 kilometer farm access roads will be built to ensure climate resilient rural access," he added.
Elaborating the project operations, the Planning Commission member said that through constructing climate and disaster resilient small-scale water resources infrastructures, excavation and re-excavation of canals and modernization of Bakkhali Rubber Dam, it would be possible to reduce the risk of flooding at some 87,000 hectares of land.
Fazlul also informed that some 2.20 lakh hectares of land would be brought under farming which would eventually boost farm productivity.
He said the project operations will also feature water management, water supply, irrigation infrastructures, excavation and re-excavation of canals, constructing regulators and embankments for protecting crops.
The main project operations include formation of some 150 new schemes or sub projects, maintenance and rehabilitation of four existing sub projects, urgent rehabilitation of Bakkhali Rubber Dam, some 50.14 acres of land acquisition, construction of 1,276 metric tons of irrigation infrastructures, establishment of 60 composite sluice gates and construction of 110 kilometer farm access roads.
The project has been earmarked as unapproved new project in the ADP for the current fiscal year (FY24) subject to availability of foreign funding.