The ministry of road transport and bridges has sought Tk 430.48 billion in the next development budget, up 74 per cent it received in the last fiscal year.
In the last financial year of 2017-18, the government allocated Tk 234.31 billion to the ministry under its current revised Annual Development Programme (ADP).
But the ministry has demanded lower money for the Padma Bridge project, officials said Monday.
"We've already forwarded the fund proposals to the Planning Commission. We've sought the proposed allocations in the upcoming ADP for the next FY2019," said a ministry official.
Since some big projects including the zonal road upgrades, Padma railway link and Karnaphuli tunnel construction need higher funds in the next FY2019, the ministry sought higher funds, he told the FE.
According to the proposed fund demands, the ministry has sought Tk 293 billion for the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in the next development budget, more than double it received in the current fiscal year.
Besides, the bridges division has sought 34 per cent higher fund to Tk 91.96 billion in the next FY2019 ADP from the current RADP's outlay of Tk 68.64 billion.
In addition, the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) has sought Tk 39.62 billion in the upcoming ADP, up from its current allocation of Tk 34.97 billion.
The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) has demandedTk 5.04 billion, higher than its current allocations of Tk 0.90 million.
A senior commission official said the commission had received 74 per cent higher fund demand for the next development budget from the roads and bridges ministry.
"But we've recommended Tk 396.74 billion or 69 per cent higher funds than the current allocation of Tk 234.31 billion for the ministry to the Programming Division of the PC to frame the next ADP," he said.
The official said amid the government's fund constraints, the more than double fund demand by the ministry was ambitious. "If we allocate even entire required funds, will the ministry be able to implement or spend the amount in the next one year?" he questioned.
Besides, the agencies under the roads and bridges ministry have sought negligible funds from the available foreign aid in the pipeline, although the fund demand from the government's internal resources has picked up unusually.
According to the ministry, it has sought only Tk 91.96 billion or 22 per cent of the total allocations as project aid while Tk 338.52 billion or the rest 78 per cent from the government's internal resources.
Meanwhile, the ministry has sought lower fund by Tk 3.08 billion to Tk 43.95 billion in the next development budget for Bangladesh's top priority project-Padma Bridge-compared to the current allocations as the Bangladesh Bridge Authority has failed to execute the scheme in time, officials said.
The ADP for the next FY2019 is likely to be finalised in late next month, a senior commission official told the FE.
Bangladesh's infrastructure improvement needs substantial investment. The government with the help of bilateral and the multilateral donors invests a good amount of funds every year to develop the country's rickety infrastructure.
The roads and bridges ministry is one of top five development budget allocations holders from the government's internal resources, as it is responsible for building infrastructure and upgrading the existing network across the country.
The ministry has proposed implementing some 136 development projects in the next FY2019 investing the funds it has sought, the commission official said.
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