Kamal against ADP downsising
The rate of implementation of the annual development programme dropped by 5 per cent in July-January of the current fiscal year of 2013-2014 compared with that in the same period of the last fiscal year due mainly to political unrest and the government’s engagement in election-centred activities, officials of the planning ministry said. They said the government was planning to cut a significant portion of ADP allocation to ensure maximum implementation of the programme in FY14.
According to the data of Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division of the planning ministry released on Wednesday, the government ministries and agencies implemented only 33 per cent of the ADP in the first seven months of this fiscal year which was 38 per cent in the same period of the last fiscal year.
Officials said in July-January, the progress of ADP implementation declined due to low utilisation of both government allocation and project aid amid political unrest in the last few months and the government’s focus on election preparation.
Planning minister AHM Mustafa Kamal also attributed the slow ADP implementation to the disruption of economic activities amid political unrest.
‘The country faced political violence and unrest in the last six months which caused disruption in the economic activities and that is why ADP implementation pace was slower,’ he said at a press briefing.
He, however, hoped that the government would be able to implement the full ADP in the fiscal year.
‘Personally I am not in favour of slashing the size of the ADP as hopefully we will be able to implement the original ADP,’ the planning minister said referring to the finance ministry’s recommendation for downsizing the ADP by Tk 11,000 crore.
The IMED data showed that 54 development project implementing agencies spent Tk 21,857 crore in July-January against the total allocation of Tk 65,872 crore for the entire fiscal year.
In the first seven month of the FY14, the government released Tk 19,912 crore, or 48 per cent of the total Tk 41,309 crore allocated in the ADP to be given by the government.
Of the expenditure, Tk 14,278 crore or 35 per cent came from the government fund while Tk 7,579 crore or 31 per cent came from foreign resources, the data showed.
In the same period of the last fiscal year, ADP implementing agencies spent 42 per cent of government fund and 32 per cent of foreign loans and grants.
The data showed that top 10 ministries and divisions could implement only 31 per cent in July-January of the current fiscal year.
Of the top 10 ministries and divisions, Bridge Division spent only four per cent of the total allocation due mainly to non-expenditure of allocation for Padma Bridge in the fiscal year while housing and public works ministry could spend 12 per cent while primary and mass education ministry could spend the highest 46 per cent, Local Government Division 43 per cent and railway ministry 40 per cent in the period.
According to the data, only six ADP implementing agencies could spend more than 50 per cent of their allocation.
Expatriates welfare and overseas employment ministry spent highest with 71 per cent implementation followed by youth and sports ministry with 58 per cent and religious affairs ministry with 57 per cent.
-With New Age input
