Demand for extra fund for revised budget puts govt in trouble
Thursday, 13 May 2010
FHM Humayan Kabir
The government is in trouble making adjustment in development budget as some ministries have sought an additional Tk 8.16 billion at the fag end of current fiscal for implementing projects, officials said Wednesday.
Planning ministry officials said some ministries and agencies have asked for additional amount despite poor project implementation in the first three quarters (July-March) of the current fiscal 2009-10.
"Now, it is really difficult to bring changes in the current development budget as implementing agencies have demanded more money over the allocations in the revised ADP (annual development programme)," said a senior planning ministry official.
"We are surprised by their demand for additional allocation as the implementing agencies have been able to spend only Tk 135.7 billion or 47.61 per cent of Tk285 billion revised ADP outlay during July-March period of this fiscal," he told the FE.
It will be a challenging job for the implementing agencies to execute the remaining 52 per cent ADP, he said.
"Now, how will the ministries spend additional Tk 8.16 billion in only two months?" He questioned.
Planning ministry officials said the Prime Minister in last NEC meeting in February this year directed the ministries and agencies to revise their development budget spending to ensure full project implementation under the ADP this year.
As per instruction, the planning ministry had sought "fund spending target" for the remaining three months' period of the current FY2010 from the ministries and divisions to prepare a realistic development budget, the officials said.
The ministries and agencies that sought the additional fund include the local government division Tk1.57 billion, energy division Tk1.50 billion, primary and mass education ministry Tk 1.98 billion and the education ministry Tk700 million against their revised ADP budget allocations.
Most of the ministries have failed to spend even 50 per cent of their ADP outlays in July-March period this fiscal, the ministry officials said.
On the other hand, some ministries and divisions proposed to cut their allocations by Tk 1.97 billion from their outlays. Among them, the bridge division proposed to cut Tk 1.14 billion, law ministry Tk225 million, defense ministry Tk 202 million and the post and telecommunication ministry Tk53.8 million.
If we allocate additional Tk8.16 billion to those agencies, the present Tk 285 billion development budget size will be bigger and the ADP implementation will face further challenges, he added.
"We will call all the ministries at a meeting to find out ways to adjust the revised ADP allocation," the official said.
The government is in trouble making adjustment in development budget as some ministries have sought an additional Tk 8.16 billion at the fag end of current fiscal for implementing projects, officials said Wednesday.
Planning ministry officials said some ministries and agencies have asked for additional amount despite poor project implementation in the first three quarters (July-March) of the current fiscal 2009-10.
"Now, it is really difficult to bring changes in the current development budget as implementing agencies have demanded more money over the allocations in the revised ADP (annual development programme)," said a senior planning ministry official.
"We are surprised by their demand for additional allocation as the implementing agencies have been able to spend only Tk 135.7 billion or 47.61 per cent of Tk285 billion revised ADP outlay during July-March period of this fiscal," he told the FE.
It will be a challenging job for the implementing agencies to execute the remaining 52 per cent ADP, he said.
"Now, how will the ministries spend additional Tk 8.16 billion in only two months?" He questioned.
Planning ministry officials said the Prime Minister in last NEC meeting in February this year directed the ministries and agencies to revise their development budget spending to ensure full project implementation under the ADP this year.
As per instruction, the planning ministry had sought "fund spending target" for the remaining three months' period of the current FY2010 from the ministries and divisions to prepare a realistic development budget, the officials said.
The ministries and agencies that sought the additional fund include the local government division Tk1.57 billion, energy division Tk1.50 billion, primary and mass education ministry Tk 1.98 billion and the education ministry Tk700 million against their revised ADP budget allocations.
Most of the ministries have failed to spend even 50 per cent of their ADP outlays in July-March period this fiscal, the ministry officials said.
On the other hand, some ministries and divisions proposed to cut their allocations by Tk 1.97 billion from their outlays. Among them, the bridge division proposed to cut Tk 1.14 billion, law ministry Tk225 million, defense ministry Tk 202 million and the post and telecommunication ministry Tk53.8 million.
If we allocate additional Tk8.16 billion to those agencies, the present Tk 285 billion development budget size will be bigger and the ADP implementation will face further challenges, he added.
"We will call all the ministries at a meeting to find out ways to adjust the revised ADP allocation," the official said.