The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved a Tk 426.35 crore project to strengthen the village courts across the country in order to ensure wider access of rural poor, female, lagging behind and under privilege people in getting justice.

The approval came from a meeting of the ECNEC held with its chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at the NEC Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said the meeting approved a total of 9 projects with an overall of estimated cost of Tk 1,730.38 crore.

"Of the total project cost, Tk 633.52 crore will come from the government, Tk 1.44 crore from the concerned organization's own fund while the rest of Tk 1,095.42 crore as project assistance." Of the approved nine projects, four are new, while five are revised projects.

The Local Government Division under the Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives will implement the Strengthening of village courts (3rd phase) project with a cost of Tk 426.35 crore.

Of the total project cost, Tk 157.51 crore will come from the government fund while the rest of Tk 268.84 crore as grant from EU and UNDP.

Once the project is implemented, it would be possible to fulfill the demands of rural people related to Justice side by side the capacity of the local authorities would be enhanced in delivering due legal services.

The other projects approved in the meeting are : Enhancing capacity of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police in combating terrorism and ensuring public security, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 229.82 crore, construction of 112 residential flats for the officials of Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat at

Agargaon with Tk 98.22 crore, Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 588.67 crore, feasibility study to construct important bridges on rural roads with Tk 80 crore, countrywide mobile library project, 2nd revised with an additional cost of Tk 37.47 crore, the

project for the improvement of equipment for technical education with Tk 98.01 crore, Establishment of Dhaka Technical Teachers Training Institute, 3rd revised, with a reduced cost of Tk 2.55 crore and Installation of prepaid gas meter for TGTDCL, 3rd revised with an additional cost of Tk 174.39 crore.

Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.