44pc progress in Agri projects in 10 months

In the first ten months of the current fiscal year, the progress in implementation of 78 agri projects under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) is just 43.73 percent.

The Ministry of Agriculture disclosed this at a virtual meeting on Thursday.  

The ministry is implementing the 78 projects under the revised ADP for the fiscal year 2019-20. As of April, the national average progress of these projects has been 43.73 percent.

Although the progress of project implementation has been hampered due to coronavirus pandemic, the projects have to be implemented within the remaining time frame, said Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque at the meeting. 

There is no shortage of food in the country, said the minister. 

He called upon all the agencies and project directors to carry out the implementation activities of the projects by following the hygiene rules directed by the health ministry in this pandemic situation.

The total allocation for the 78 agri projects is Tk1,763.94 crore. Of this, Tk1,434.39 crore came from the government and Tk3,29.55 crore from donor agencies as project assistance.

Of the total allocation, the amount that has been so far disbursed is Tk1,172.16 crore, which is 66 pc of the total allocation, while the expenditure was Tk861.42 crore -- 49% of the total allocation, as per the meeting.  

Of the spent money, government sector projects have used 48 percent of its allocation while the project assistance part has used 54 percent of its allocation.

Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Md Nasiruzzaman and other senior officials were present at the meeting.

sr/at/teb