The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved a Tk 2.02 trillion Annual Development Programme (ADP) outlay for the 2019-20 fiscal giving highest priority to the transport sector.
The approval came at a media at the NEC conference room at the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Tuesday (May 21) with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, state news agency BSS reports.
“In terms of sector-wise allocation, the transport sector received the highest ADP allocation of Tk 528.06billion or 26.05 percent of the original ADP,” Planning Minister MA Mannan told the media after the meeting.
He added that the sector was followed by power sector with Tk 260.17 billion or 12.83 percent of original ADP while Tk 243.24 billion or 12 percent of the original ADP was proposed for physical planning, water supply and housing sector.
Mannan said out of the original ADP size, Tk 1309.21 billion will come from the government’s own resources while the remaining Tk 718 billion from project assistance.
However, incorporating the autonomous bodies and corporation’s own fund of Tk 123.93 billion, the overall ADP size reached Tk 2151.14 billion.
The new ADP for FY20 has some 1,475 projects including 1,358 investment projects, 116 technical assistance projects and one project from the Japan Debt Cancellation Fund (JFCF).
Besides, there are some 89 projects which would be implemented by the autonomous bodies and corporations.
Earlier on May 8, the draft ADP size was finalised at an extended meeting of the Planning Commission with Planning Minister MA Mannan in the chair.
The Planning Minister said the ADP allocation for the first time crossed the Tk 200,000 mark which is also a ‘landmark’ for the country.
Mannan said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the meeting asked the authorities concerned to give due importance on research and technical education, complete the projects within the stipulated timeframe, to find out the reasons for those projects which could not be completed within the stipulated timeframe and thus facilitate implementation of those, not acquire land without any valid reason for development projects as well as discourage acquiring arable land.
The Planning Minister said the Prime Minister has directed himself to take initiative to make a publication on the overall development expenditure in the CHT region by all the ministries and divisions.
The Prime Minister also directed all authorities concerned to clear their arrear bills as well as paying timely the land development taxes.
Answering to a question, Mannan said the private sector in the country is not getting squeezed as the government is giving them enough space.
When asked about the alleged irregularities in some components of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project, the Planning Minister said he would direct the IMED to make a field-visit to the project site and thus give a feedback.
Mannan told in reply to another questioner that no project would suffer due to shortage of fund.
He also asserted that the government would give more emphasis to implement the new ADP from the very first day of the next fiscal year.
The ADP size for the next fiscal year is 17.18 percent higher than the original ADP size of Tk 1730 billion for the current fiscal year (FY19). However, the revised ADP for the current fiscal year came down to Tk 1670 billion.
Besides, the education and religious sector received an allocation of Tk 213.79 billion (10.55 percent of original ADP), Science and ICT sector with Tk 175.41 billion (8.65 percent of original ADP), rural development and rural institution sector Tk 151.57 billion (7.48 percent of original ADP), health, nutrition, population and family welfare sector Tk 130.55 billion (6.44 percent of original ADP), agriculture sector Tk 76.16 billion (3.76 percent of original ADP), water resources sector Tk 56.53 billion (2.79 percent of original ADP), public administration sector Tk 50.24 billion (2.48 percent of original ADP).
According to the Ministry-wise allocation, the Local Government Division got the highest allocation of Tk 297.77 billion followed by the Power Division with Tk 260.14 billion, Road Transport and Highways Division with Tk 251.63 billion, Science and Technology Ministry with Tk 159.08 billion, Railways Ministry with Tk 125.99 billion, Health Services Division with Tk 99.36 billion, Primary and Mass Education Ministry with Tk 92.7 billion, Secondary and Higher Education Division with Tk 89.27 billion, Bridges Division with Tk 85.61 billion and Water Resources Ministry with Tk 62.57 billion.
Meanwhile about the ADP utilization status, Mannan said the executing agencies could spend Tk 970.3 billion or 54.94 percent of original ADP during the July-April period of the current fiscal year.
The ADP implementation rate during the July-April period of the last fiscal year was 52.42 percent with an expenditure of Tk 826.03 billion.
