The fourteen mega projects, which are now being implemented, have been proposed to get Tk45,140 crore in the budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year.
The government has proposed the highest allocation of Tk14,980 crore for the country’s first nuclear power plant at Rooppur, while the second highest allocation is set to go for Metro Rail project at Tk7,212 crore.
The mega Padma Bridge project has been allocated Tk5,370 crore, while its Rail Link project gets Tk3,995 crore.
In the proposed budget, the Chittagong-Cox's Bazar rail line project gets Tk1,105 crore, and Matarbari power plant at Moheshkhali gets Tk3,056 crore.
The government proposed to allocate Tk1,407 crore for the power grid network, and Tk2,108 crore for the expansion of power system network.
In the outgoing budget, the government had allocated Tk40,000 crore to implement 10 mega projects to strengthen country’s communication network, and to develop the power and energy sector to boost the economy.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presented the proposed budget in the parliament on Thursday afternoon. However, he could not finish the presentation due to ill health. Later, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took over the budget presentation in place of the finance minister.
The prime minister, on behalf of the finance minister, in her speech said that the government is aiming to achieve the double digit growth as quickly as possible through timely implementation of all nationally important infrastructure projects including mega projects like the Padma Bridge, Padma rail link project, Dohajari-Cox's Bazar rail line, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Rampal Power Plant, Payra Sea Port, Matarbari Power Plant at Moheshkhali, and Dhaka Metro Rail.
“About 2km structure of the Padma Bridge, being constructed entirely with our own resources, has now become visible, and the overall physical progress of the project is 67%,” she said.
Some mega projects are being implemented at Paira, Moheshkhali, and Materbari, classifying these areas as power hub. “We selected these areas considering the land availability, transport facilities and load centers.”
The government is implementing a number of mega projects to establish an integrated and uninterrupted communication network in the country. The Padma Bridge, the tunnel under the Karnaphuli riverbed, the Dhaka Elevated Expressway from HazratShahjalal International Airport to Kutubkhali of Dhaka- Chittagong highway, and many other projects are among those, she said.
Read the full budget speech for FY20 here.
