The national budget for the 2019-20 fiscal proposes setting aside Tk 451.4 billion for the 14 mega projects, including nuclear power plant and metro rail.
In his budget speech on Thursday (Jun 13), AHM Mustafa Kamal proposed to allocate Tk 149.8 billion for the N-power plant at Pabna’s Rooppur while the Metro Rail project is set to get Tk 72.12 billion during the next fiscal.
The Padma Bridge project, one of the largest infrastructure project funded by the government, has been allocated Tk 53.7 billion, while another Tk 39.95 billion will go for the bridge’s rail link project.
The proposed budget has set aside Tk 11.05 billion for the Chittagong-Cox's Bazar rail tracks while the Matarbari Power Plant in the island Upazila of Moheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar will get Tk 30.56 billion.
Tk 14.07 billion has been proposed to allocate for a power grid network while another Tk 21.08 billion for expansion of the power system network.
In the outgoing budget, the government had allocated Tk 400 billion to implement 10 mega projects to strengthen country’s communication network, and to develop the power and energy sector to boost the economy.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal started to present the proposed budget but could not continue as he was struggling with his health. In a rare and novel move, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took over the budget presentation from his finance chief.
The government aims to achieve the double digit growth as quickly as possible through timely implementation of all nationally important infrastructure projects, including mega projects like the Padma Bridge, Padma rail link project, Dohajari-Cox's Bazar rail line, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Rampal Power Plant, Payra Sea Port, Matarbari Power Plant at Moheshkhali, and Dhaka Metro Rail, says the budget speech
“About 2km structure of the Padma Bridge, being constructed entirely with our own resources, has now become visible, and the overall physical progress of the project is 67%,” it read.
Some mega projects are being implemented at Payra, Moheshkhali, and Materbari, classifying these areas as power hub.
“We selected these areas considering the land availability, transport facilities and load centers,” said the budget speech.
The government is implementing a number of mega projects to establish an integrated and uninterrupted communication network in the country. The Padma Bridge, the underwater tunnel on the Karnaphuli River, the Dhaka Elevated Expressway from HazratShahjalal International Airport to Kutubkhali of Dhaka- Chittagong highway, and many other projects are among those.