Implementation of the annual development programme (ADP) has started at a snail’s pace as only 1.52 per cent of the total outlay was implemented in July, the first month of the current fiscal year 2020-2021.
On top, 14 ministries and one division, including the Ministries of Water Resources, Civil Aviation and Tourism, Land, Textiles and Jute, Foreign Affairs, and the Internal Resources Division could not spend a single penny during the month, though a total of around Tk 15,897 crore has been earmarked for 269 projects under these ministries and the division. The Planning Commission has not made it clear if the money earmarked but not spent is available.
We can say, unless the Commission denies that the money unspent on the project has been redirected to spend elsewhere where corruption was to be helped. As we can see the government coffer is empty and the government is desperate about extortion of money from banks and elsewhere. It is no concern that because of coronavirus pandemic the people are facing financial crunch and living no edge. Hardship of that is no consideration they must be forced to pay legally payable or not. How they can be asked some duties for two years meaning advanced payment for one year more.
According to the report in a national daily on Saturday, 58 ministries and divisions responsible for implementation of the ADP could spend only Tk 3,254 crore in July, Tk 697 crore less than the amount spent in the same month of the previous fiscal year.
The Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) of the Planning Ministry in a data released Wednesday said the government adopted a development budget of Tk 2,14,611 crore for FY21. Of the amount, Tk 1,34,643 crore will be provided from the government fund while Tk 70,502 crore is expected to come from foreign sources.
Meanwhile, economists opined that the ministries and divisions have not been able to come out of the tendency of slow progress in implementing the ADP at the start of the year. They are against spending more money in the last part of the fiscal year as they think the tendency helps corruption to provide opportunity to contractors and traders. It has become a malpractice.
Besides, due to the abnormal speed in the project work at the end of the year, quality of the work cannot be maintained. As a result, on many occasions a large amount of money is wasted, said the economists. The contractors and suppliers then complete the work in a rush or sometimes take the bill leaving the work incomplete.
The success of any initiative towards improving ADP performance will require addressing the inherent problems of structural issues and implementation of reform measures. Development projects, particularly the mega ones, involve huge investments. So the importance of strong monitoring and efficient handling of the ADP projects is required to stop mega corruptions.
