The New Nation - Internet Edition

AS reported in the media, the incumbent government has spent at a much higher rate than usual from the 'unexpected expenditure management fund,' despite slower spending for the approved work and procurements under the annual development plan (ADP). The rate of expenditure from the unexpected fund in the first quarter was 'higher' than that of fund utilisation under the ADP itself and for public procurement for development projects during the period.

About 16 per cent of the unexpected fund earmarked for the whole year was 'exhausted' in three months while the utilisation of ADP and project procurement fund was 9 per cent and 6.5 per cent. Economists and experienced planning officials are of the view that the fund kept aside for unexpected expenditure is 'free from condition' unlike foreign aid and is exposed to luxury and less important spending and higher expenditure from the fund means bigger wastage of public money while real development spending appears rather slow.

Only about Tk 2,388 crore or 9 per cent of the Tk 26,500 crore-ADP for the 2008-2009 fiscal year, was utilised in the July-September period, up from 7 per cent of the same period of last fiscal year. Taka 134.78 crore of the Tk 800 crore 'unexpected expenditure fund' has already been spent as it is very easy not involving tough conditions attached to expenditure for development projects. The latest monitoring reports have revealed that out of 48 ministries and divisions, 10 had not yet started using their development allocations during the first quarter of this fiscal.