Power Div seeks Tk 8.84b less fund in RADP due to project execution failure
Friday, 15 January 2010
FHM Humayan Kabir
Power Division has sought Tk 8.84 billion less fund from its total Tk 35.74 billion development budget allocation, as it has 'failed' to implement projects mainly on electricity generation in time, officials said Monday.
Planning Ministry officials said the division has requested them to cut their fund allocation to Tk 26.89 billion for implementing 46 projects in the current Annual Development Programme (ADP).
"We've no option but to downsize the development budget, as the implementing agencies have failed to utilise their funds in time. It will be difficult to spend the entire Tk 35.74 billion fund in the remaining six months of the current fiscal," a senior Power Division official told the FE.
The government is working to revise Tk 305 billion ADP due to poor project implementation by the 49 ministries and divisions until December 2009.
Power Division, the second largest development fund spender, had implemented only 22 per cent of its ADP budget during July-December period of the current fiscal, which is six per cent lower than the country's average 28 per cent ADP execution rate, a Planning Ministry official said.
The Planning Ministry's data showed that the division has spent only Tk 6.75 billion during the first half of the current FY 2010.
The division, 11.72 per cent fund holder of the total ADP outlay, has sought Tk 8.84 billion less money when the planning ministry asked them to revise its ADP budget.
The planning ministry official said the implementing agencies had mainly failed to spend money in electricity generation projects, which forced them to trim down their fund requirement from the original allocations in the ADP.
Under Power Division, Power Development Board (PDB) and Electricity Generation Company Ltd (EGCB) work for power generation, while DPDC, DESCO, West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd and REB for distribution, and Power Grid Company Bangladesh Ltd (PGCB) for transmission.
"When the country is facing severe power outage for the last few years, the division's failure in implementing power generation projects in time is very painful for the nation," a senior planning ministry official told the FE.
Power Division has sought Tk 8.84 billion less fund from its total Tk 35.74 billion development budget allocation, as it has 'failed' to implement projects mainly on electricity generation in time, officials said Monday.
Planning Ministry officials said the division has requested them to cut their fund allocation to Tk 26.89 billion for implementing 46 projects in the current Annual Development Programme (ADP).
"We've no option but to downsize the development budget, as the implementing agencies have failed to utilise their funds in time. It will be difficult to spend the entire Tk 35.74 billion fund in the remaining six months of the current fiscal," a senior Power Division official told the FE.
The government is working to revise Tk 305 billion ADP due to poor project implementation by the 49 ministries and divisions until December 2009.
Power Division, the second largest development fund spender, had implemented only 22 per cent of its ADP budget during July-December period of the current fiscal, which is six per cent lower than the country's average 28 per cent ADP execution rate, a Planning Ministry official said.
The Planning Ministry's data showed that the division has spent only Tk 6.75 billion during the first half of the current FY 2010.
The division, 11.72 per cent fund holder of the total ADP outlay, has sought Tk 8.84 billion less money when the planning ministry asked them to revise its ADP budget.
The planning ministry official said the implementing agencies had mainly failed to spend money in electricity generation projects, which forced them to trim down their fund requirement from the original allocations in the ADP.
Under Power Division, Power Development Board (PDB) and Electricity Generation Company Ltd (EGCB) work for power generation, while DPDC, DESCO, West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd and REB for distribution, and Power Grid Company Bangladesh Ltd (PGCB) for transmission.
"When the country is facing severe power outage for the last few years, the division's failure in implementing power generation projects in time is very painful for the nation," a senior planning ministry official told the FE.