Power div wants Tk 71.67b fund for dev budget next year
Thursday, 14 April 2011
FHM Humayan Kabir
The Power Division has sought a Tk 71.67 billion fund for its development budget next year, 43 per cent higher than the existing outlay, from the government to boost the ailing power supply, officials said Wednesday. Officials at the division said they have asked for the fund from the Planning Commission for implementing development works in the proposed Annual Development Programme (ADP) of the next financial year FY2011-12. In the current ADP budget, the Planning Commission has allocated Tk 50.17 billion funds for the Power Division to upgrade the country's electricity supply to 7000-megawatt a day by 2012. Power Division is the second largest development budget spenders of the government with its Tk 50.17 billion funds in the current ADP. "Since Bangladesh needs substantial funds for developing its ailing power sector, we have sought Tk 21.50 billion more funds compared to the current year's Tk 50.17 billion in the next ADP," a senior Power Division official told the FE. "We have planned to invest Tk 45.65 billion for electricity generation, Tk 17.09 billion for distribution and Tk 8.50 billion for transmission of power in the next FY 2012," he said. Out of its required Tk 71.67 billion investment, the division has requested for Tk 50.96 billion funds from the government's own resources and Tk 20.69 billion from external resources. The Power Division has undertaken dozens of power generation schemes for adding 2046mw additional power to the national grid by 2012. As per government plan, the private sector will also install additional 2375mw of power to the national grid by 2012. Besides, it has also undertaken dozens of transmission and distribution line expansion and upgradation projects to ensure smooth supply of power. Bangladesh, one of the energy-hungry countries with its 8.0 per cent electricity demand growth per year, has supply shortage of more than 1500mw electricity a day. The electricity shortage has badly affected the country's industrial and real estate sectors as many investors are waiting for getting electricity connections after their investment.
The Power Division has sought a Tk 71.67 billion fund for its development budget next year, 43 per cent higher than the existing outlay, from the government to boost the ailing power supply, officials said Wednesday. Officials at the division said they have asked for the fund from the Planning Commission for implementing development works in the proposed Annual Development Programme (ADP) of the next financial year FY2011-12. In the current ADP budget, the Planning Commission has allocated Tk 50.17 billion funds for the Power Division to upgrade the country's electricity supply to 7000-megawatt a day by 2012. Power Division is the second largest development budget spenders of the government with its Tk 50.17 billion funds in the current ADP. "Since Bangladesh needs substantial funds for developing its ailing power sector, we have sought Tk 21.50 billion more funds compared to the current year's Tk 50.17 billion in the next ADP," a senior Power Division official told the FE. "We have planned to invest Tk 45.65 billion for electricity generation, Tk 17.09 billion for distribution and Tk 8.50 billion for transmission of power in the next FY 2012," he said. Out of its required Tk 71.67 billion investment, the division has requested for Tk 50.96 billion funds from the government's own resources and Tk 20.69 billion from external resources. The Power Division has undertaken dozens of power generation schemes for adding 2046mw additional power to the national grid by 2012. As per government plan, the private sector will also install additional 2375mw of power to the national grid by 2012. Besides, it has also undertaken dozens of transmission and distribution line expansion and upgradation projects to ensure smooth supply of power. Bangladesh, one of the energy-hungry countries with its 8.0 per cent electricity demand growth per year, has supply shortage of more than 1500mw electricity a day. The electricity shortage has badly affected the country's industrial and real estate sectors as many investors are waiting for getting electricity connections after their investment.