The government will provide stipend to 42.44 lakh poor students in the secondary level aimed at averting drop-out and child marriage as well as stimulating them to complete the education.

Among the total student studying in the secondary level at all schools across the country, 30 per cent female student and 10 per cent male student in every class will be given the stipend under "Secondary Education Stipend Project, Second Phase (SESP)".

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved the stipend project involving Taka 791 crore.

ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting held at the NEC conference room in city's Sher-e-Banglanagar.

Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal, after the meeting, briefed the reporters about the outcome of the meeting. He said a total of six development projects including the secondary stipend project were approved with the outlay of Taka 5,397 crore.

"Of the total project cost, the government will provide Taka 4,915 crore from the national exchequer while Taka 453 crore will come as project assistance and the organization concerned will contribute Taka 29 crore from own fund," added the planning minister.

Turning on the secondary education stipend project, Mustafa Kamal said the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education is entrusted to implement the project by June 2017 covering some 217 upazilas of 53 districts.

The day's ECNEC meeting approved another project titled "Installation of Prepaid Gas Meter for TGTDCL (BD: P78) Natural Gas Efficiency Project" with Taka 719.16 crore under which some 2 lakh prepaid gas meters would be installed in some 12 areas in the capital.

The project will cover 12 areas of the capital including Badda, Gulshan, Tejgaon, Cantonment, Mirpur, Kafrul, Khilkhet, Uttar Khan, Dakshin Khan, Uttara, Purbachal and Jhilmeel.

The other projects approved in the meeting are "Itna-Mithamain-Astagram road construction" project with TK 438.35 crore, greater Faridpur Rural Infrastructure development project, 2nd revised with TK 1710 crore, greater Faridpur Rural Infrastructure Development project, 2nd phase, 2nd revised with TK 1490 crore and Boosting crops production through farm mechanization, 2nd phase, 1st revised with TK 248.18 crore.

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