The finance and planning minister, M Saifur Rahman, on Monday blamed the dearth of knowledge of a section of top government bureaucrats.
August 29, 2006 (Press Release) --
The finance and planning minister, M Saifur Rahman, on Monday blamed the dearth of knowledge of a section of top government bureaucrats, particularly the secretaries, about utilization of development funds as a major reason for the slow pace of project implementation.
‘The newly-posted secretaries often come and tell me, “Sir, we have not got the money released.” They even don’t know that three-fourth of the budget allocation earmarked for any development project can be spent without the prior permission of the finance ministry,’ Saifur told newsmen, emerging from a meeting with various ministries on development project implementation at the National Economic Council auditorium.
Saifur, however, clarified, ‘Such spending is justified only in case of approved projects.’
He directed all the officials concerned to be serious in spending development funds more prudently and expeditiously, meeting sources said.
The minister lambasted them for the low utilization of project aids. ‘Although they are little accountable for spending government money, they don’t realize that the scenario is completely opposite in case of spending foreign aid,’ Saifur explained to the newsmen.
He said the officials from ignorance of the rigorous accountability for utilization of foreign funds did not take strict measures to curb any misuse of project money.
‘But, for spending foreign aid there are some strict conditions — the donors look into various matters, like procurement, appointment of staff and consultants, and all other activities and examine whether those were done in line with the approved project profiles,’ he elaborated.
The minister directed the officials and ministers concerned to meet the donors’ conditions minutely and meticulously to ensure that project funds and aids are disbursed in due time.
The meeting noted that, in fiscal year 2005-06, the government could spend only Tk 19,470.87 crore out of the original Tk 24,500-crore and the revised Tk 21,500-crore Annual Development Program.
So, the ADP implementation in FY06 was 91 per cent of the revised budget, according to the implementation report placed at the meeting.
The size of the current ADP is Tk 26,000 crore, comprising an estimated Tk 17,250 crore, or 66 per cent, local component and the remaining Tk 8,750 crore, or 34 per cent, to be channeled from external sources.
‘The newly-posted secretaries often come and tell me, “Sir, we have not got the money released.” They even don’t know that three-fourth of the budget allocation earmarked for any development project can be spent without the prior permission of the finance ministry,’ Saifur told newsmen, emerging from a meeting with various ministries on development project implementation at the National Economic Council auditorium.
Saifur, however, clarified, ‘Such spending is justified only in case of approved projects.’
He directed all the officials concerned to be serious in spending development funds more prudently and expeditiously, meeting sources said.
The minister lambasted them for the low utilization of project aids. ‘Although they are little accountable for spending government money, they don’t realize that the scenario is completely opposite in case of spending foreign aid,’ Saifur explained to the newsmen.
He said the officials from ignorance of the rigorous accountability for utilization of foreign funds did not take strict measures to curb any misuse of project money.
‘But, for spending foreign aid there are some strict conditions — the donors look into various matters, like procurement, appointment of staff and consultants, and all other activities and examine whether those were done in line with the approved project profiles,’ he elaborated.
The minister directed the officials and ministers concerned to meet the donors’ conditions minutely and meticulously to ensure that project funds and aids are disbursed in due time.
The meeting noted that, in fiscal year 2005-06, the government could spend only Tk 19,470.87 crore out of the original Tk 24,500-crore and the revised Tk 21,500-crore Annual Development Program.
So, the ADP implementation in FY06 was 91 per cent of the revised budget, according to the implementation report placed at the meeting.
The size of the current ADP is Tk 26,000 crore, comprising an estimated Tk 17,250 crore, or 66 per cent, local component and the remaining Tk 8,750 crore, or 34 per cent, to be channeled from external sources.
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