Home ›› 31 May 2023 ›› Front
The Planning Commission has set a target to complete 312 development projects in the next fiscal year of 2023-24, according to the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for FY24.
In the current FY2022-23, the commission had aimed to finish 280 projects but that number went up to 318 in the Revised ADP of FY23, commission officials told The Business Post.
However, they said, the commission will not be able to reach the target for FY23. Most of the projects have been announced as “completed” even though 100 per cent of their work has not been finished.
Different ministries and divisions are already sending proposals to the Planning Commission to extend the deadline without cost escalation. After FY23 ends, the commission will announce the number of complete projects, a joint secretary of the Planning Ministry said.
There is no alternative to intensive monitoring from the beginning of projects that are deemed to be completed on time. Accountability must be ensured, the official said.
An analysis of the ADP FY24 showed that there are 49 investment projects in the road transport sector, which is the highest to be completed in the next fiscal year.
There are two projects in the general government services sector, seven in the public order and services sector, and seven more in the industrial and economic services sectors.
There are also 23 projects in the agriculture sector, six in the power and energy sector, 15 in the local government and rural development sector, 25 in the environment, climate change and water resources sector, 42 in the housing and community facilities sector, 46 in the health sector, six in the religion, culture and entertainment sector, one in education, nine in social security and 18 in science and information technology.
Apart from these investment projects, there is another aim to complete 18 feasibility study projects. There are 29 technical assistance projects and nine self-financed projects of autonomous institutions as well.
In FY2021-22, the commission had aimed to complete 355 projects, of which, 321 were investment projects, but only 150 projects were completed. The rest were added to the next fiscal year’s ADP.
According to the commission’s Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), 439 development projects were scheduled for completion in the Revised ADP for FY2020-21. Of them, 236 projects were completed at the end of the financial year. The remaining 203 projects were added to the next fiscal year’s ADP.
In FY2019-20, 305 projects were scheduled for completion but 141 were completed. The remaining 164 projects were added to the next ADP.
Similarly, 346 development projects were supposed to be completed in FY2018-19. Of them, 245 were completed.
Former IMED secretary Pradip Ranjan Chakraborty said, “One of the main reasons behind the failure to complete the projects is the lack of coordination between the ministries and the project receiving and the project implementing agencies.”
“Moreover, there are weaknesses in action plans and road maps of the ministries,” he added.
