The interim government is slashing allocations for several major development projects in the Revised Annual Development Programme (RADP), cutting over Tk 12,000 crore from eight of the top 10 priority projects due to slow progress and fiscal constraints.
According to planning ministry sources, allocations for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project will remain unchanged, while funding for the Dhaka–Ashulia Elevated Expressway will be increased.
They, however, said allocations for the remaining eight major projects are being reduced.
The National Economic Council (NEC) is expected to approve the revised ADP at its meeting on Monday, to be chaired by Chief Adviser of the interim government Professor Muhammad Yunus.
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A senior official at the Planning Ministry said large projects often receive high allocations at the start of the fiscal year, but full utilisation becomes difficult due to low implementation progress.
He added that weak revenue collection has also contributed to the need for budget cuts.
Projects facing reduced allocations include MRT Line-6, MRT Line-1, MRT Line-5 (North), the four-lane highway from Hatikumrul in Sirajganj to Rangpur, the Dhaka–Sylhet four-lane highway, Matarbari Port Development, expansion of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project from the airport to Gazipur.
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In the current ADP, Tk 8,631 crore was allocated for MRT Line-1. Under the revised ADP, the allocation is proposed to be reduced to Tk 801 crore, a cut of Tk 7,830 crore.
The allocation for the extension of MRT Line-6 from Motijheel to Kamalapur is being reduced from Tk 1,347 crore to Tk 1,023 crore. Funding for MRT Line-5 (North) is proposed to be lowered from Tk 1,490 crore to Tk 592 crore.
The allocation for the Matarbari Port Development Project is proposed to be reduced from Tk 4,086 crore to Tk 1,085 crore.
The Dhaka–Sylhet four-lane highway project will see a reduction of Tk 55 crore, with Tk 1,668 crore proposed in the revised ADP.
The expansion project of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport will have its allocation reduced by Tk 733 crore to Tk 306 crore.
The BRT project from the airport to Gazipur will see its allocation reduced by Tk 256 crore to Tk 168 crore.
The four-lane highway project from Hatikumrul to Rangpur will have Tk 310 crore cut, with Tk 1,562 crore proposed in the revised ADP.
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The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project will retain its original allocation of Tk 10,011 crore.
Meanwhile, the allocation for the Dhaka–Ashulia Elevated Expressway project is being increased by Tk 1,134 crore, bringing its total allocation to Tk 4,476 crore in the revised ADP.
Overall, about Tk 30,000 crore is being cut from the current fiscal year’s ADP. Planning ministry officials said the revised ADP size may be set at Tk 2 lakh crore, down from the original Tk 2.30 lakh crore.
Funding from domestic sources is proposed to be reduced from Tk 1.44 lakh crore to Tk 1.28 lakh crore, while project aid will be lowered from Tk 86,000 crore to Tk 72,000 crore.
The current ADP includes 1,171 projects.
Last year, the revised ADP was reduced by Tk 49,000 crore, bringing its size to Tk 2.16 lakh crore.
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