ADP allocation decreasing in power-fuel, edn, health and transport sector

Revised ADP to be approved today

Ibrahim Khalil Jewel: The Annual Development Programme (ADP) budget for the current fiscal year 2022-23 is witnessing a record low allocation. For this financial year, ADP allocation was Tk 2 lakh 46 thousand crore. In the revised ADP, the allocation of Tk 18,500 crore has been reduced to Tk 2 lakh 27 thousand crore.
Among them, the allocation for electricity-fuel, education, health and transport sectors has decreased the most. The Ministry of Planning has finalized the draft of the revised ADP.
The revised ADP will be approved at the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the NEC conference room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar today, Wednesday (March 1).
It is known that there is currently a global crisis. It has also affected Bangladesh. As a result, many ministries and departments could not spend money. Some ministries could not even waive foreign loans.
According to the Planning Commission, the government has decided to reduce the allocation of electricity and energy sector by Tk 6 thousand crore. This year in ADP, Tk 44 thousand 389 crore was allocated to this sector. It has been reduced to Tk 38 thousand 316 crore in the revised ADP.
Allocations to the education sector have also been reduced at a significant rate. The allocation for this sector in ADP was Tk 29 thousand crore. In the revised ADP, it has been reduced by Tk 10,500 crore to Tk 18,431 crore.
The transport and communication sector of the country has made significant progress in the last few years. However, in this year’s revised ADP, the allocation of large sums has been reduced in this sector. The total allocation in this sector has decreased by more than Tk 10.5 thousand crore. Where the allocation of five metro rail projects has decreased by around eight thousand crore taka.
The stakeholders of this sector could not show any significant work in the current financial year. As a result, the allocation of Tk 6,500 crore has been reduced to Tk 12,745 crore in the metro rail sector. The allocation for this sector in ADP was Tk 19 thousand 277 crore.
The science and technology sector, which is on the government’s priority list, has also been reduced to half due to lack of success in the current financial year. Although there is an allocation of Tk 4,233 crore in ADP, the allocation of this sector has been reduced by Tk 1,890 crore to Tk 2,343 crore.
According to Ministry of Planning sources, own financing is not reduced in the revised ADP of the current fiscal year 2022-23. Tk One lakh 53 thousand 66 crore of own financing in ADP has been kept unchanged. However, Tk 18.5 thousand crore less is being allocated from foreign aid. The amount of foreign aid in the revised ADP will stand at Tk 74,500 crore. At present there are 1,363 projects in ADP.
Although the allocation to other important sectors in ADP has been reduced, the allocation to the local government and rural development sectors has been increased in view of the 12th national elections. ADP’s allocation of Tk 16 thousand 465 crore has been increased to Tk 20 thousand 230 crore in this sector.
Apart from this, the allocation has been increased in the climate sector which is in the eyes of the international community. In this sector, the allocation of Tk 9 thousand 859 crore has been increased to Tk 12.5 thousand crore in the revised ADP.
On the other hand, the allocation of Tk 4,000 crore for the development assistance sector has been increased to Tk 7,000 crore and the allocation of Tk 2,500 crore for social protection has been increased to Tk 3,500 crore.