Power Sector to Focus on Planned Development, Says State Minister

Bangla Press Desk:   State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit on Thursday warned officials against taking up poorly planned development projects, saying taxpayers’ money must no longer be wasted on unnecessary schemes.

Speaking at two separate meetings at the Bangladesh Secretariat, the state minister said future projects must be selected based on necessity, feasibility and their contribution to public welfare, rather than repeating the practices of the past.

“Like in the past, we cannot afford to waste taxpayers’ money by undertaking unplanned and unnecessary projects,” he said while chairing a meeting on prioritising unapproved projects under the Power Division.

He directed officials to present complete information and proper justification for every proposed project before it is considered for approval, stressing that priority should be given to initiatives capable of delivering tangible benefits to the people and strengthening the country's power sector.

The meeting reviewed a number of unapproved development projects, with officials presenting their proposals and explaining their expected benefits.

Amit instructed authorities to determine priorities based on each project's practical necessity, economic viability and long-term impact.

Earlier in the day, the state minister attended another meeting on preparing recommendations to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the country's energy demand, production and distribution systems.

Highlighting the importance of long-term planning in the energy sector, he called for preparing a comprehensive, modern and integrated mapping of Bangladesh's mineral resources.

He said the government needs a reliable geographical and data-based inventory identifying the location and potential of mineral resources across the country, replacing the existing fragmented block maps and geological data scattered across different agencies.

“A complete picture of the country’s underground resources will help improve coordination among government agencies and enable more effective planning and implementation of development activities,” he said.

Amit also directed officials to prepare zone-wise assessments of energy demand and supply across the country, saying existing constraints must be identified promptly so that appropriate policy measures can be taken without delay.

He further stressed the need for the efficient utilisation of the country's natural resources and urged officials to complete all necessary measures to enhance the capacity of the power and energy sector within the shortest possible time.

Power Division Secretary Mirana Mahrukh and senior officials from the division and its affiliated organisations attended the meetings.