The government's highest economic policy-making body ECNEC on Tuesday revised the PGCB's Aminbazar-Mawa-Mongla 400kv power transmission line installation project despite violation of original DPP during its implementation, officials said.
The Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) had spent more funds than it's allocations in some components of the project, insiders said.
Presided over by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday in Dhaka endorsed the PGCB's power grid line installation project along with three others at a combined cost of Tk 24.5915 billion (Tk 2,459 crore and 15 lac).
The PGCB has now obtained Tk 25.05 billion funds, 85 per cent higher than its original Tk 13.56 billion estimation for the "Aminbazar-Mawa-Mongla 400kv power transmission line installation project".
The ECNEC on Tuesday approved two fresh projects and revised two others at its meeting in Dhaka, Planning Secretary Asadul Islam told journalists after the meeting.
The state-owned power grid company has now obtained 85 per cent additional funds and six months more at the revised development project proposal (DPP) for completing the 164.6km power transmission line from Aminbazar to Mongla.
Earlier, the Planning Commission raised reservation over the higher spending by the PGCB beyond the estimations at the original proposal.
The PGCB had already spent Tk 1.69 billion additional funds than its Tk 4.68 billion allocation at the original project proposal for the electrical equipment procurement component without approval of the proper authorities, insiders said.
Similarly, it had also spent extra money than the allocated funds for some other components at the original DPP, they said.
According to the government rules, no agencies are allowed to spend extra funds than its allocation in the DPP.
And they are now allowed to transfer money from even one component to other from the approved project without getting endorsement of the authorities, he told the FE requesting anonymity.
Yet, the PGCB has changed its project design defying the approved DPP, which was endorsed by the prime minister-headed ECNEC.
According to the revised proposal, the PGCB has sought Tk 11.27 billion fund from its original Tk 4.68 billion allocations in the DPP for electrical equipment component.
Planning Secretary Asadul Islam told journalists that the government would provide Tk 16.69 billion funds from its internal resources and the implementing agencies Tk 1.82 billion from their own resources while development partners Tk 6.08 billion as the project aid for the four approved projects.
The committee has also revised the "Upgrading the Panchdona-Danga-Ghorasal road into 4-lane with the slow moving vehicles lanes on the both sides" extending the cost by 5.52 billion to Tk 14.89 billion.
The fresh two projects are: "Protection of Shingrabari, Patagram and Baikhola area in Sirajganj from the Jamuna River erosion" at Tk 5.60 billion cost and "Establishment of dry-fish processing plant at Cox's Bazar project" at Tk 1.99 billion.
Ministers, Planning Commission members and high officials concerned were present at the ECNEC meeting.
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