In a bid to address the financial crisis, the Planning Commission discouraged inclusion of new projects in the upcoming Annual Development Programme (ADP) and emphasised completing ongoing projects.

In its fresh guideline for formulating the government’s next development budget, the Commission also asked line ministries not to include unapproved new projects in ADP if those are not high-priority schemes.

In support of the move, the Planning Commission argued that the initiative had been taken to ensure optimum use of the resource and get expected results from it.

At the same time, it also instructed ministries for shifting allocation from slow-moving projects to fast-going schemes.

“The current global economic context has to be taken into account while making ADP allocations,” said Planning Secretary Satyajit Karmakar.

In that case, most importance should be given to projects linked to agriculture for food security, agro-based industry, power, workers’ skill enhancement and poverty alleviation, he added.

Moreover, priority should also be given on allocating money on projects for rehabilitation from natural calamities like cyclone, tidal surge, flood and excessive rain, according to the new ADP policy.

“It is mandatory to comply with the policy for ADP or revised ADP. Ministries and divisions send their ADP proposals following some 30 to 35 instructions issued by the Planning Commission,” former planning secretary Mamun-al-Rashid said.

“Planning Commission scrutinizes the proposals for project inclusion or money allocation in line with the issued policy. Proposals are not accepted, if the policy is not followed,” he informed.

 In view of the ongoing dollar crisis, special importance was being attached to projects having foreign loans or grants, the Commission sources said.

Making local matching funds available has been prioritised in the new ADP for projects against which loan contracts have been signed or loans have been confirmed.

Even picking up new projects has been encouraged for those which involve foreign funds.

Like the recent fiscal year, enough allocation must be made for the fast-track projects and for those which are expected to be complete by FY 2023-24.

In addition, link projects for supporting public-private partnership projects while getting special focus in the new ADP.

The Commission asked ministries to strictly follow the policy for allocating money in price contingency and physical contingency in approved development project proforma (DPP).

Alongside cost cutting, the government is setting priority for following mid and long-term plans like 8th Five-Year Plan, Perspective Plan and Delta Plan 2100 for enhancing per-capita income, cutting poverty and improving livelihood.

The Planning Commission gave instructions for placing the projects in a new unapproved project list, feasibility study of which had been completed.