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The government is set to approve a Tk 2.05-trillion Annual Development Programme (ADP) at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for Tuesday, officials said on Friday.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Bangladesh for the first time after 11 years is going to see a development outlay almost similar the size of the outgoing fiscal year (FY), 2019-20.
The meeting would be held at Planning Commission (PC) on May 19 where its president, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, will join from Gonobhaban through videoconferencing, said a senior PC official.
An estimated 10-15 senior NEC members (cabinet ministers) and PC members and high officials are expected to attend the meeting, he added.
"We're ready to place the proposed ADP before the NEC meeting on Tuesday to get it endorsed," PC programming division chief Md Khalilur Rahman told the FE.
If approved, he said, the ADP would be included in the national budget for implementation next year.
On Monday, the commission in its extended meeting, chaired by planning minister MA Mannan, approved the Tk 2.05-trillion ADP, only 1.0 per cent higher than the outgoing fiscal's.
In FY 2020, the government framed the Tk 2.027-trillion ADP, expanding the allocation by 17 per cent from Tk 1.67 trillion in FY 2019.
In early March this year, the ADP outlay was cut to Tk 1.93 trillion following its poor implementation rate.
Meanwhile, an FE study finds that the Awami League-led government has been framing development budgets maintaining 19-per cent growth on average in terms of fund allocation since assuming power in FY 2009-10.
According to PC officials, they proposed some Tk 1.346-trillion from internal resources and the remaining Tk 705 billion from external resources as project aid for the Tk 2.05-trillion ADP.
Transport sector is getting the highest allocation like previous years followed by physical infrastructure, water supply and housing sector, power sector, education and religion, and science and ICT sector.
The highest Tk 521.83 billion has been proposed for transport sector in the upcoming ADP.
Physical infrastructure, water supply and housing sector will get Tk 257.94 billion, power Tk 248.03 billion, education and religion Tk 233.89 billion, and the science and ICT Tk 184.47 billion.
In the next development programme, an estimated 1,588 projects are likely to receive funds for implementation.
The ADP is a major part of the national budget, dedicated to the country's infrastructural development and social-sector improvement.