CA takes up greater role in adding impetus to ADP implementation
Saturday, 25 August 2007
FE Report
The Chief Adviser (CA) has intensified review of the work as well as procurement plans for the current annual development programme (ADP) by the ministries and divisions, a source said.
As part of his commitment to monitoring the implementation of the development budget, the caretaker head is likely to sit with health ministry tomorrow (Sunday) at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO), the source added.
"The CA is taking stock of the work plan and procurement plan of the seven largest ministries and divisions, including the health ministry," an official at the planning commission (PC) told the FE.
"The idea (of such meetings) is to keep hammering the ministries to be more sincere about the implementation of ADP projects and give necessary instructions to them regarding the implementation," he said.
PC officials pointed out that the CA had already evaluated work plans of three ministries, including education and communications.
In terms of allocation, the caretaker government has identified 10 large ministries and decided to review the work plans of only seven ministries -- communications, education, power, local government division, primary and mass education, and agriculture.
Officials say the interim head's one of the priorities is to create momentum in the implementation of development projects, traditionally characterised by slow progress and poor management.
In the just-concluded ECNEC meeting, the CA also asked the ministries, divisions and agencies to give utmost priority to completion of existing projects without raising the number of projects.
"You can scale up allocations, if needed, for existing projects to ensure timely implementation. But don't try to increase the number of projects," Ahmed was quoted to have told the meeting he chaired.
Planning Commission officials say from now on the performance of a ministry will be evaluated considering its spending in proportion to the original ADP, not the revised one.
The caretaker chief has directed the ministries and divisions to prepare separate work plans for projects, scheduled for completion in June next year.
Accordingly, the ministries and divisions submitted their work plans to the Planning Commission in June 30 after consultations with the advisers of various ministries.
In addition, they had prepared charts showing implementation progress for joint review of major projects on a monthly basis in key sectors such as power and energy.
According to a recent planning ministry circular, the advisers of concerned ministries can extend the period of projects marked by star (*) by June 30, 2007 without changing their scope and costs.
The time extension is allowed only upto June 30, 2008. It also noted that in future all procedures for time extension have to be completed before the formulation of the ADP.
The size of the current ADP is Tk 265 billion, which is 23 per cent higher than the previous one.
The Chief Adviser (CA) has intensified review of the work as well as procurement plans for the current annual development programme (ADP) by the ministries and divisions, a source said.
As part of his commitment to monitoring the implementation of the development budget, the caretaker head is likely to sit with health ministry tomorrow (Sunday) at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO), the source added.
"The CA is taking stock of the work plan and procurement plan of the seven largest ministries and divisions, including the health ministry," an official at the planning commission (PC) told the FE.
"The idea (of such meetings) is to keep hammering the ministries to be more sincere about the implementation of ADP projects and give necessary instructions to them regarding the implementation," he said.
PC officials pointed out that the CA had already evaluated work plans of three ministries, including education and communications.
In terms of allocation, the caretaker government has identified 10 large ministries and decided to review the work plans of only seven ministries -- communications, education, power, local government division, primary and mass education, and agriculture.
Officials say the interim head's one of the priorities is to create momentum in the implementation of development projects, traditionally characterised by slow progress and poor management.
In the just-concluded ECNEC meeting, the CA also asked the ministries, divisions and agencies to give utmost priority to completion of existing projects without raising the number of projects.
"You can scale up allocations, if needed, for existing projects to ensure timely implementation. But don't try to increase the number of projects," Ahmed was quoted to have told the meeting he chaired.
Planning Commission officials say from now on the performance of a ministry will be evaluated considering its spending in proportion to the original ADP, not the revised one.
The caretaker chief has directed the ministries and divisions to prepare separate work plans for projects, scheduled for completion in June next year.
Accordingly, the ministries and divisions submitted their work plans to the Planning Commission in June 30 after consultations with the advisers of various ministries.
In addition, they had prepared charts showing implementation progress for joint review of major projects on a monthly basis in key sectors such as power and energy.
According to a recent planning ministry circular, the advisers of concerned ministries can extend the period of projects marked by star (*) by June 30, 2007 without changing their scope and costs.
The time extension is allowed only upto June 30, 2008. It also noted that in future all procedures for time extension have to be completed before the formulation of the ADP.
The size of the current ADP is Tk 265 billion, which is 23 per cent higher than the previous one.