For the second consecutive year, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) project is likely to get the highest allocation in the upcoming budget for financial year 2018-19. This would make the power sector in the country, the second largest recipient of budgetary allocation.
According to the Annual Development Programme (ADP) of 2018-19 fiscal year, a total of 11, 100 crore taka (USD 13.08 billion) will be allocated for the RNPP project, which is 964 crore taka (USD 1.1 billion) more than the previous year’s allocation for the same project. RNPP project is among the list of top priority projects of the government. The construction of the power plant is going on in full swing.
The power sector of the country is likely to be the second biggest sector in terms of budget allocation amount in the next budget. A total of 22, 930 crore taka (USD 27.03 billion) will be allocated for this sector in the next budget. The augmentation of the budget in sync with the country’s aspiration to meet electricity demand of its population.
After RNPP, the ultra-super critical coal-fired power plant of Matarbari is projected to be at the second slot in getting budget allocation among all other projects of the country’s power sector. The Matarbari project is expected to get a budget allocation of 2, 171 crore taka (USD 2.55 billion).
Among other major infrastructure projects, the Padma Rail Link project will get a budget allocation of 5, 330 crore taka (USD 6.28 billion) while the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project will get 4, 395 crore taka (USD 5.18 billion) in the next budget.
Among the ministries the Local Government Division is likely to get the largest amount in the next budget which is 23, 438 crore taka (USD 27.6 billion) while Roads and Highway Division to get 20, 817 crore taka (USD 24.5 billion) and Science and Technology ministry to get 11, 720 crore taka (USD 13.81 billion) of budget allocation.
The Planning Commission wants to allocate a total of 1,73, 000 crore taka (USD 204 billion) for the ADP of the next fiscal year. However, even after 9 months of the current fiscal year having passed, only 46 per cent of the ADP has been materialized so far.
