The interim government has decided to cut approximately 43 percent of the special budget allocation previously designated under deposed premier Sheikh Hasina who fled to India amid a student-mass movement.
In a recent meeting, the office of the chief adviser decided to propose Tk 177 million for the CA, which is Tk 133 million lower than Tk 310 million allocated in the original budget for the current fiscal year.
The meeting, chaired by Dr Ahmed Ullah, director general of the CA Office, decided to cut funds for all the offices under the CA Office by Tk 13 billion.
The Prime Minister's Office and others under it such as Beza, Bepza, PPP and NGO Affairs Bureau received an allocation of Tk 46 billion.
The meeting of the Budget Working Group (BWG) proposed a total of Tk 33 billion to implement the revised budget, which is 28.3 per cent lower than the original budget.
According to the minutes of the meeting, the revenue budget of the CA Office will be cut by 2.2 per cent to 9.72 billion from the original allocation of Tk 9.94 billion.
The office is set to save Tk 223 million from its original operational budget, while it will save Tk 12.78 billion from its development budget.
The meeting has decided to propose a revised allocation of Tk 23.28 billion to implement development projects this fiscal. It was Tk 36.06 billion in the original budget.
Issues like the prevailing global economic conditions, priority of expenditure and demands in most critical sectors have been taken into account while determining the revisions, said an official concerned.
The chair of the meeting accentuated efforts to ensure 100 per cent use of the allocations already made across various sectors, with an emphasis on maintaining quality and adhering to timelines.
Moreover, budget management for this office must be carried out prudently and responsibly, aligning with the broader macro-economic context of the country.
Officials said Finance Division issued a budget circular to ensure the best use of limited resources by allocating necessary funds to priority sectors of the government in preparing the revised budget estimates for fiscal year 2024-25.
Additional allocations cannot be demanded in the revised proposal for the 2024-25 operation and development budget as per the terms of the budget circular, they added.
[email protected]
