Project directors asked to send back unutilised ADP funds by March

The planning minister has asked project directors to send back by March the unutilised money earmarked for the annual development programmes (ADP) of the current fiscal year ending on June 30.

AHM Mustafa Kamal gave the instruction at a meeting with project directors on Sunday.

Around 700 project directors joined the meeting held in two phases, said the ministry in a media statement.

It said the minister asked the project directors to utilise the full amount of foreign aid in the ADP.

Kamal was quoted as saying that the unutilised money would have to be sent back to the planning ministry by March so that it could be used in other projects of public interest.

Thirty-two percent of the Tk 860-billion ADP for the 2014-15 FY has been implemented in the first seven months of the current financial year.

Thirty-percent ADP was implemented in the same period of the previous FY, and the entire year’s implementation was 93 percent.

ADP is downsized towards the end of each Year because of poor implementation.

There are allegations that development projects are implemented hastily, without maintaining standards, towards the end of every fiscal only to get foreign aid disbursed.

The statement said the Sunday meeting was organised to devise ways to ensure timely implementation of projects while maintaining quality.

The minister asked the relevant ministries not to transfer project directors ‘frequently’.

State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan, and Planning Division acting Secretary Shafiqul Azam were also present at the meeting.

The planning minister will hold another round of meeting with the directors of 1,287 ongoing projects on Feb 19.