Tk 700m extra fundfor RHD allocated

---

FHM Humayan Kabir Planning Commission has allocated an additional fund of Tk 700 million for some priority projects including Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane highway of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), officials said Tuesday. Planning Commission (PC) officials said they have provided the money to some 11 projects of the RHD from the special block allocations in the current annual development programme (ADP). "We have failed to provide adequate funds as per requirement of the RHD amid resource constraints of the government. The RHD had sought huge funds for its priority projects," a PC official told the FE. The RHD had sought Tk6.30 billion extra funds in addition to its total allocation in the ADP for repair and uprgadation works of the country's dilapidated roads and highways, he said. The PC official said they are in trouble following the repeated demand for funds by the RHD as the commission has already been forced to provide additional funds twice after finalising the ADP. The official said we had allowed the RHD a month back to transfer Tk2.0 billion from the allocations of less important projects to Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane highway and emergency road repair schemes. "Besides, we have allocated Tk500 million extra funds for the ongoing Tk14.10 billion emergency maintenance project considering the dilapidated condition of the roads in the country," he added. Considering its urgency this time we have allocated Tk700 million more for the RHD to repair the dilapidated roads and upgrade the Dhaka-Chittagong highway to four-lane. Out of the allocations, the PC has allocated Tk100 million for the Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane road, Tk100 million for emergency road repair scheme and the rest Tk500 million for nine other priority projects of the RHD. Another PC official said repeated demands for extra fund by the RHD over the last few months to develop roads and repair damaged ones in addition to their allocations, have put them into difficult situation due to fund constraints. He said they have already given extra funds to some road repair schemes and approved transfer of money from less important projects to most important schemes a month back. The RHD under the Ministry of Communications (MoC) has received Tk22.73 billion funds, the fifth highest allocation among the government ministries and divisions, in the ADP for implementing its 155 ongoing projects. A senior MoC official said the RHD wants more money to repair damaged roads across the country and for upgradation works including Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane road due to higher cost construction materials. "Additional funds, in addition to the allocated funds are essential in the current year's development budget. Many roads in the country still remain in deplorable condition," he added.