Former adviser paints gloomy picture of ADP implementation
Sunday, 17 February 2008
The incumbent caretaker government will have to shoulder the responsibility of any economic condition poorer than what the so-called corrupt government had achieved before their departure, a discussion meeting was told in Dhaka Saturday, reports UNB.
"As per their own declaration, this government will be there in office for two years. So, they'll have to take the responsibility of this time," former Energy Adviser Mahmudur Rahman said, painting a gloomy picture of ADP implementation.
He was addressing the discussion titled 'Implementation of Annual Development Programme: Reality of Current Fiscal Year' organised by Bangladesh Policy Forum, a national interest group, at National Press Club.
Academics and economists took part in the discussion with Mahmudur Rahman in the chair.
Mahmud termed worst the implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) at 21 percent during the first half of the current fiscal year (2007-08) compared to 27 percent in 2005-06 and 29 percent in 2004-05.
He said the implementation of the development programmes should have been even better in absence of the so-called corrupt government. There were also natural disasters during the previous regimes, he added.
The discussion pointed out reasons for the poor ADP implementation. Those included anti-corruption drive, problems in public procurement regulation, slow utilisation of mid-term regulatory fund, audit objections, less-than-required number of advisers of the government and the increasing prices of construction materials.
Economist Prof Mahbub Ullah said ADP is highly unlikely to be implemented up to the mark as long as the lack of confidence, both in the public and the private sectors, persists. "The coming days will be even worse unless we can overcome the lack of confidence."
He said the failure to implement the ADP would affect the rural poor badly. Proper implementation of the ADP would increase the purchasing power of the poor, mitigating the inflationary pressure on them to some extent.
He said increased cereal production by ensuring timely and adequate supply of agriculture inputs could also help reduce the inflationary pressure to some extent.
The speakers said the next budget, likely to be presented by this government, should not depend on the prescription of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
"As per their own declaration, this government will be there in office for two years. So, they'll have to take the responsibility of this time," former Energy Adviser Mahmudur Rahman said, painting a gloomy picture of ADP implementation.
He was addressing the discussion titled 'Implementation of Annual Development Programme: Reality of Current Fiscal Year' organised by Bangladesh Policy Forum, a national interest group, at National Press Club.
Academics and economists took part in the discussion with Mahmudur Rahman in the chair.
Mahmud termed worst the implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) at 21 percent during the first half of the current fiscal year (2007-08) compared to 27 percent in 2005-06 and 29 percent in 2004-05.
He said the implementation of the development programmes should have been even better in absence of the so-called corrupt government. There were also natural disasters during the previous regimes, he added.
The discussion pointed out reasons for the poor ADP implementation. Those included anti-corruption drive, problems in public procurement regulation, slow utilisation of mid-term regulatory fund, audit objections, less-than-required number of advisers of the government and the increasing prices of construction materials.
Economist Prof Mahbub Ullah said ADP is highly unlikely to be implemented up to the mark as long as the lack of confidence, both in the public and the private sectors, persists. "The coming days will be even worse unless we can overcome the lack of confidence."
He said the failure to implement the ADP would affect the rural poor badly. Proper implementation of the ADP would increase the purchasing power of the poor, mitigating the inflationary pressure on them to some extent.
He said increased cereal production by ensuring timely and adequate supply of agriculture inputs could also help reduce the inflationary pressure to some extent.
The speakers said the next budget, likely to be presented by this government, should not depend on the prescription of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).