Slow progress in RHD project implementation

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Munima Sultana The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has been able to spend Tk 2.76 billion from its fiscal budget making a frustrating progress in implementing the annual development projects. The latest report of RHD revealed that the progress of project implementation against the allotment for the current (2011-12) fiscal is only 15 per cent until October. Officials said the department received an allocation of Tk 18.24 billion to implement 153 projects of which Tk 2.76 billion was spent. They said there has been a frustrating scenario of allotment and disbursement. An amount of Tk 10.5 billion was released from the mid-term budgetary fund for the department of which Tk 5.85 billion was disbursed until October. "If we compare the spending with the disbursement, the percentage will however be around 49 per cent," said an official. He said the financial progress against budgetary allotment for the projects is more than 30 per cent. The official said the RHD disbursed Tk 2.76 billion from the government fund and Tk 3.3 million from project aid. A senior official however said there is always poor budget allocation for the department for which many contractors refrain from doing work even after winning contracts. He said the RHD has sought a minimum fund of Tk 28 billion for implementing more than 150 projects though its actual demand was for more than Tk 50 billion.