Less allocation of funds for RHD hampers infrastructure uplift
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Munima Sultana
The country's infrastructure development has been hampered due to less allocation of funds for construction of new roads and bridges.
According to Roads and Highways Department (RHD) sources, RHD annual development budget has been reduced since 2000-2001 although the demand for construction of new roads increased following 10 per cent on an average growth of traffic during the period.
The revenue budget of RHD, although increased during the period, is used for repair and maintenance of the existing 21,866 km road and 18,258 bridges, the sources added.
According to the data, the RHD budget was reduced by 24.45 per cent in fiscal 2008-09 l and 17.50 per cent in 2007-2008. The allocation for the department was Tk 18.54 billion in 2007-08 and Tk 13.99 billion in 2008-09.
In the current fiscal, Tk 14 billion has been earmarked for RHD development budget, which was equal to the budget of fiscal 1998-99.
"It is a meagre amount compared with the need," said a RHD official adding that this reduction of annual budget continued since 2000-2001.
The official said due to insufficient budget, the department could not finish or implement many projects in the previous years.
In 2000-2001, budget for RHD was Tk 25.19 billion, a cut by 10.35 per cent from previous year's allocation. Though the budget increased slightly by three per cent in next two fiscals of 2002-03 and 2003-04, it again fell by 4.30 per cent in 2004-05 and 15.71 per cent in 2005-06.
When contacted, a high official preferring anonymity said in recent years, the government gave less focus on construction of new highway roads and bridges due to higher priority attached to improvement of rail and water transportations.
"It is true that rail and water sectors need attention, but insufficient budget for roads and highways is also hampering implementation of other important projects," the official said adding that development of new roads and highways is also needed to cope with increasing pressure of transports.
Citing the four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong highway project, he said, the country will need eight-lane highways given the rate of traffic growth. But the work on four-lane highway project, which was drawn two years back, is yet to begin.
However another official said the government focus on the Padma bridge was also a reason for lowering the RHD budget.
RHD is responsible for the management of the country's road network covering about 21,000 km and some 18,258 bridges.
Sources said in the current fiscal, it has taken 32 projects, of which 22 were already approved by Economic Committee on National Economic Council. Ten more foreign funded projects are also in the pipeline.
"Tk 14 billion for 32 projects is quite insufficient," said the official.
The country's infrastructure development has been hampered due to less allocation of funds for construction of new roads and bridges.
According to Roads and Highways Department (RHD) sources, RHD annual development budget has been reduced since 2000-2001 although the demand for construction of new roads increased following 10 per cent on an average growth of traffic during the period.
The revenue budget of RHD, although increased during the period, is used for repair and maintenance of the existing 21,866 km road and 18,258 bridges, the sources added.
According to the data, the RHD budget was reduced by 24.45 per cent in fiscal 2008-09 l and 17.50 per cent in 2007-2008. The allocation for the department was Tk 18.54 billion in 2007-08 and Tk 13.99 billion in 2008-09.
In the current fiscal, Tk 14 billion has been earmarked for RHD development budget, which was equal to the budget of fiscal 1998-99.
"It is a meagre amount compared with the need," said a RHD official adding that this reduction of annual budget continued since 2000-2001.
The official said due to insufficient budget, the department could not finish or implement many projects in the previous years.
In 2000-2001, budget for RHD was Tk 25.19 billion, a cut by 10.35 per cent from previous year's allocation. Though the budget increased slightly by three per cent in next two fiscals of 2002-03 and 2003-04, it again fell by 4.30 per cent in 2004-05 and 15.71 per cent in 2005-06.
When contacted, a high official preferring anonymity said in recent years, the government gave less focus on construction of new highway roads and bridges due to higher priority attached to improvement of rail and water transportations.
"It is true that rail and water sectors need attention, but insufficient budget for roads and highways is also hampering implementation of other important projects," the official said adding that development of new roads and highways is also needed to cope with increasing pressure of transports.
Citing the four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong highway project, he said, the country will need eight-lane highways given the rate of traffic growth. But the work on four-lane highway project, which was drawn two years back, is yet to begin.
However another official said the government focus on the Padma bridge was also a reason for lowering the RHD budget.
RHD is responsible for the management of the country's road network covering about 21,000 km and some 18,258 bridges.
Sources said in the current fiscal, it has taken 32 projects, of which 22 were already approved by Economic Committee on National Economic Council. Ten more foreign funded projects are also in the pipeline.
"Tk 14 billion for 32 projects is quite insufficient," said the official.