Mega projects, including the fast track projects, are likely to face slow progress during upcoming fiscal year 2020-21 as the implementing ministries and agencies were proposed to get lower allocation than that of the ongoing fiscal year.
Except two ministries, the budget for FY 2020-21 has proposed reduced allocation from Tk 1.5 billion to highest Tk 12 billion for these ministries including Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, Shipping, Railways and Power, Energy and Mineral resources during the current FY 2019-20.
The civil aviation and tourism ministry and Shipping Ministry have been proposed Tk 2.60 billion and 1.5 billion higher allotment.
Under these ministries, mega projects like Padma Bridge, Metro Rails, Power Plants, Padma Rail link project, Payra Sea Port, Matarbari-Moheskhali Power Plant, Moheskhali LNG Terminal projects have made good progress till the corona hit the country.
According to the budget for FY 2020-21, highest Tk 12.10 billion reduced budget was proposed for the Power Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MoPEMR) under which Matarbari power, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and Rampal Coal fire power plant are under implementation.
Road Transport and Highways Division under MoRTB has been proposed to allot Tk 3.39 billion less than FY 2019-20. In the budget for FY 2019-20, the division was allotted Tk 251.64 billion under which
Mass Rapid Transit Line 6, 1 and 6, SASEC Road Connectivity Project, Dhaka-Sylhet-Tamabil four lane project, Rangpur Buribari highway and Dhaka city circular road are on implementation.
The Bridge Division under have been proposed Tk 5.89 billion lower allocation in the FY 2020-21 to TK 79.73 billion. During the current fiscal year, the budget allotted Tk 85.62 billion which was revised to Tk 66.82 billion. Mega and fast tract projects like Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Dhaka Elevated Expressway and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib tunnel are being implemented under the Bridge Division.
The Ministry of Railway under which Padm Rail Link, Dohazari-Cox’s BAzar rail track, Bangabandhu dedicated Rail Bridge over Jamuna river are under implementation was proposed Tk 124.91 billion in the FY 2020-21 which is Tk 1.08 billion lower than the allotment of FY 2019-20.
The ministry was allotted TK 125.99 billion in the current fiscal year budget for 2019-20 which was revised to Tk 102.49 billion.
The civil aviation and tourism ministry and Shipping Ministry have been proposed to allot Tk 36.29 billion and Tk 32.65 billion in the next budget against their allotment of Tk 33.69 billion and Tk 31.14 billion respectively.
smunima@yahoo.com