24 projects with zero progress in Chattogram

The 'Prestressed Concrete (PC) Girder Bridge Box Culvert' project in Khagrachari District was taken up in 2015, but not a single penny has been spent on it so far, and progress in the project is zero even after four and a half years.      

Like this one, as many as 24 projects are yet to be started in Chattogram. Of the 188 projects being carried out in the division, progress in 81 of them is slow. Planning Minister MA Mannan is sitting with the Chattogram project directors on Sunday to discuss this issue.             

Sources at the planning ministry say that the meeting at Chattogram Circuit House will identify issues of the schemes with zero progress, and decide on a course of action.

The planning minister will visit the divisional headquarters to boost the implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP). He will begin his tour with a journey to the port city, and will then go to Rajshahi, said officials.     

Secretary Abul Mansur of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) told The Business Standard that such divisional level meetings with project directors speeded up implementation in the last fiscal year. 

"The approach is expected to bring a positive output this year too," added the secretary.

Meanwhile, officials of the planning ministry say that issues over land acquisition and the tender process are responsible for 'zero project progress' in Chattogram. 

Although a number of mega projects have been undertaken in Chattogram, the implementation is too slow. 

For example, the government has prioritised the 1,200MW coal-based power plant at Matarbari in Moheshkhali. The plant, earmarked as a fast-track project, has made 26.27 percent progress in the last five years.  

Single-point mooring (SPM) at Sonadia island, a project to transport imported raw petroleum to the state-owned refinery, has made only 16 percent progress in the last five years. 

Although the Ashuganj 400 MW combined cycle power plant has been under construction for the last five years, only 7.87 percent of the total allocation for this project has been spent.      

Regarding the projects with zero-progress, Planning Minister MA Mannan told The Business Standard that the zero progress projects would be evaluated closely. The government will also keep an eye on purchases for the project.

As many as 81 development programmes with poor implementation will be on the table for discussion, said Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division officials.     

According to the division, Tk19,861 crore has been allocated for the 188 ongoing projects in Chattogram in this fiscal year. But only Tk1,543 crore has been spent on them in the first two months of this fiscal year, amounting to 7.77 percent of the total allocation.            

Apart from monitoring the purchase, the minister said he will verify whether there is any arbitrary use of vehicles bought for the projects.