So many additional projects proposed!

Unnecessary: Planning Commission

• 750 to be finalized out of 1305
• Many ministries proposed unnecessary high projects
• Local govt proposed maximum of 118

Mahfuja Mukul: The Annual Development Program (ADP) for the current financial year is also facing major cuts. The government wants to reduce the cost of allocation and project loan. The implementation situation of ADP this year is also not satisfactory. However, there are old attempts to introduce new projects. A total of 1,305 projects and proposals have been submitted to the Planning Commission for inclusion in the revised ADP under various pressures.
Of these, 750 projects were already included in the ADP. Of which 100 projects have been completed. As a result, 555 new project proposals have been submitted for inclusion in the revised ADP.
The government has approved an annual development program (ADP) of Tk 2,25,324 crore for the current fiscal year 2021-22. This is Tk 20 thousand 189 crore more than the previous (2020-21) financial year. The government will provide Tk one lakh 36 thousand 300 crore in the new ADP. The remaining Tk 8,024 crore will come as a loan from development partners.
Major changes are coming from ADP to RADP (Revised ADP) in FY 2021-22. RADP may get final approval in the first week of March this year. The proposed RADP will be approved at a meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the NEC conference room of the Planning Commission in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. The Planning Commission is working towards that goal.However earlier, the Prime Minister may allocate an additional.
According to Planning Commission sources, various ministries and departments are proposing projects. The commission is scrutinizing all the proposals,considering the welfare of the people of the country, the commission is of the opinion that out of 1,305 projects, maximum 750 projects can be finalized. The commission feels that many ministries and departments have proposed unnecessary higher number of projects. The total number of projects of the Ministry of Social Welfare in ADP was 23. Now 138 new projects have been proposed. However, this ministry gets an allocation of Taka four to five hundred crore a year. Similarly, the Ministry of Agriculture has 54 projects in ADP but now it has proposed 110 projects. The Department of Public Security has increased the number of proposals from 16 to 29, the Ministry of Culture has proposed to increase the number of projects from 18 to 33, and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works has proposed to increase the number of projects from 16 to 33.
In ADP, 7 projects were approved by the local government department, with a total of 202 project proposals. As a result, the Department of Local Government has proposed an additional 116 projects from ADP to the revised ADP (RADP). Similarly, in RADP, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has proposed 16 projects, Railways 57 and the Ministry of Shipping 38 projects.
Additional Secretary of the Planning Commission (Agriculture, Industry and Coordination Wing) Sayeduzzamansaid, that he has started the work of RADP. All the Ministries and Departments have sent us proposals for 1,305 projects for RADP. It is not possible to keep all the proposals. The projects which have been given utmost importance for the welfare of the people of the country will be finalised.
He added that there is additional pressure on RADP for new projects. From this we are checking and selecting the project. According to the Planning Commission, the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) has held several meetings. However, many projects do not have any allocation in the ADP. There is also pressure to include projects that are much less important in political considerations in the ADP.
On the one hand, allocations have to be made for new projects that have been passed, ADP has to be cut due to non-implementation. In such a situation, the Planning Commission will reduce the allocation for many projects. The Planning Commission will give priority to the almost completed projects like Padma Bridge, Metro Rail, Karnafuli Tunnel this year.
A total of Tk 54,449 crore has been provided for 10 mega ADP projects. Of this, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant received a maximum of Tk 16,426 crore. After that, Tk 6,172 crore has been allocated for Matarbari Power Station and Tk 5,053 crore for Primary Education Development Program (PEDP-4).
Other projects: Tk 4,600 crore has been allocated for Metrorail, Tk 3,623 crore for Padma Bridge rail link project and Tk 3,500 crore for Padma Bridge. The Planning Commission said that these are also gaining importance in the revised ADP.