Delta Plan 2100: Draft made for spending $37b by 2031

The government would spend $37 billion by 2031 for ensuring food and water security and fighting disasters, according to a draft of the Delta Plan 2100.

The draft would be placed for approval at tomorrow's National Economic Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

At least 80 projects have been selected for implementation. 

Of them, 65 would be infrastructure projects and 15 others would aim at enhancing institutional capacity, efficiency and research.

A planning ministry official said they selected these projects from 133 priority projects of various ministries and divisions.

The General Economics Division (GED) of the ministry has prepared the draft with the assistance of the Dutch government and the World Bank.

GED member Shamsul Alam said, “We are going to take up the long-term plan to tackle the adverse impact of climate change.”

He said they had 26 studies done by local experts and prepared the plan in consultation with different stakeholders. It took them three and a half years. 

Alam added that they had sent the list of the projects to the WB and its experts reviewed and endorsed them.

He also said Bangladesh had been experiencing the adverse impact of climate change. Every year, 50,000 families become landless due to the adverse impact, he added.

According to a planning ministry document, the required fund for the 80 projects would come from the government, Green Climate Fund, development partners, foreign direct investment and the private sector.

At present, the government spends 0.8 percent of the GDP for Delta management projects and programmes. To implement the plan, two percent of the GDP would be required. Bangladesh is likely to get $2 billion assistance from Green Climate Fund every year.

Besides, about 0.5 percent from the private sector's annual income could be added to the Delta Plan fund.

Coastal, Varendra (Barind) and drought-prone, haor and flood-prone, Chittagong Hill Tracts, riverine and urban are the six areas to be given priority by the Delta Plan.

Due to climate change, the country's agricultural production may be seriously affected. The production of paddy and wheat may decrease by 17 percent and 61 percent.

About 70 percent areas in 16 districts, where poverty rate is very high, are most vulnerable to natural disasters, the planning ministry document mentioned.

To execute the Delta Plan 2100, a high-level Delta Governance Council led by the prime minister would be formed. The planning minister would be its vice-president.

The council would make decisions and give directives for implementing the plan.

Besides, a project selection committee, led by a GED member, would be constituted. The secretaries of the ministries related to the Delta Plan would be committee members, who would select projects and programmes. The committee would also monitor implementation of the projects and programmes.