RADP FY23 allocation: Over 300 projects need revision

Over 300 development projects would need revision to get an allocation in the revised annual development programme in FY23.

The National Economic Council (NEC) has instructed to stop allocating funds to projects which did not seek time extension after ending their deadlines as of December 2022 from the RADP, a senior official of the planning commission told The Business Post.

“Over 300 projects will face a bar from getting any allocation from RADP as the NEC has asked to stop allocation until revising the project proposal. The NEC asked to stop allocation to projects which have a deadline as of December 2022,” the official added.

The Planning Commission has labelled such projects with a ‘Star’ sign in the RADP’s project list, he said, adding that 338 such projects were identified while the number of such projects was 293 in the last fiscal year.

The official, however, said these projects will get allocation after revision of the projects.

According to the Planning Commission, 39 projects from the housing and community facilities sector, 39 projects from the transportation and communication sector, 30 projects in the education sector, 22 projects from industries and economic facilities, 21 projects from the environment, climate change and water resources sector, 19 projects of the agriculture sector, 19 projects from the health sector, 17 projects of the defence sector, 11 projects in the energy sector, 10 projects in local government and rural ministry, 10 projects in the religious-cultural affairs sector and others.

The commission officials said such a situation has been created as the project officials did not complete work as per their plan. The revised proposals must be submitted to the Planning Commission and the Implementation Evaluation and Monitoring Division (IMED) three months before ending the project deadline.

They also said lack of responsibility on the part of project directors and project officials caused to stop the fund from the RADP.

State minister for Planning Prof Shamsul Alam seemed to be annoyed at such a situation. He said it is not possible to say why such things recur every year.

“We have always asked the ministries and divisions to submit revision proposals before ending the deadline. But they did not follow. Project directors and ministries concerned are responsible for such a situation,” he said.

The ministry is working to bring them under accountability to stop the recurrence of such incidents, he added.