The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said the process of undertaking power projects gets delayed due to fear of corruption, hindering desired results from power generation.

"The approval, tender process and implementation gets delayed out of fear that there would be allegation of corruption," he said, in response to the nagging power crisis editors of leading dailies and news agencies raised at a pre-budget meeting at the Finance Ministry.

Muhith made the remarks in response to the power crisis that holds back all the development potentials. He reiterated that it would not be possible to increase power generation to a level of 5,000 MW in next three years as promised in the election manifesto of the ruling Awami League.

The Awami League in its election manifesto pledged to double the power generation from 3,500 MW to 7,000 MW during this government's tenure of five years.

The Finance Minister, however, appreciated different initiatives by the last caretaker government to increase power generation like rental power plants.

He said the Siddhirganj Power Plant would be commissioned very soon which would provide a substantial supply of power to ease the crisis to some extent.

Meanwhile, he said, the government as part of its effort to solve the energy crisis would visit the Fulbari coal mine area to have discussions with the local people and others concerned to reach a solution to the mining problems.

In response to the possibility of deposit rate cut, the Finance Minister said he would consider inconveniences of the fixed income group of people and small savers, like pensioners, who live on return from their savings.

The editors requested the Minister to make it clear how the government would implement the pre-election commitments to create employment opportunity for at least one from a family. They also requested withdrawal of VAT on newsprint imports.

They suggested the government should look for more taxpayers to increase revenue as well as be cautious in spending the public money.

Other suggestions include reducing corporate tax, tax rebate on import of capital machinery, widening social safety net programmes, reducing defense budget and increasing budget for public advertisements in the newspapers.

Prime Minister's Adviser on Economic Affairs Dr Masihur Rahman, Financial Express Editor Moazzem Hossain, Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam, Daily Independent Editor Mahbubul Alam and Bdnews24.com Editor Toufique Imrose Khalidi took part in the discussion among others.