PPP gets hefty allocation despite failure

An allocation of Tk 3,000 crore has been laid down for public-private partnership (PPP) projects in the 2012-2013 budget although the government has miserably failed to make any use of such allocations for the previous three years.
In his first budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year, Finance Minister AMA Muhith had allocated Tk 2,500 crore for the implementation of PPP projects, but not a single taka was spent.
The same thing happened in each of the last and the current fiscal years--the government could not spend a buck--though the allocation stood at Tk 3,000 crore each time.
The finance minister said in his budget speech yesterday that a good number of PPP projects had been approved though they might not come up to the expectations.
He said implementation of the projects would start soon.
Eight projects have been identified for implementation under five ministries and divisions, where the probable investment will be about Tk 3,000 crore, he said.