The caretaker government bolstered the financial authority of the ministries to sanction Tk 50 crore from the existing Tk 25 crore for public procurement, apparently in order to accelerate the sluggish pace of project implementation, reports UNB.

To this effect, the Advisors Committee on Public Purchase Tuesday endorsed a proposal empowering any of the ministries to approve procurement offer up to Tk 50 crore. Also approved in the same package is a ministry''s financial clout to hire a consultant for up to Tk 10 crore.

The Cabinet Division moved the proposal in view of the upturn in the cost of goods and consultancy. Having approved the proposal, Finance Advisor Mirza Azizul Islam, who presided over the meeting, told reporters that this enhancement decision was made in line with the increasing prices of goods.

"Now, the ministries have to purchase goods at double the previous rates. So, it''s very justified to enhance their financial approval capacity," he said.

Sources said the Advisors Committee also gave its nod to a proposal that the Finance Ministry should take steps to restructure the financial authority of the autonomous bodies, public departments and directorates in the light of the approved enhancement proposal.

The committee, known as Purchase Committee, also approved a proposal of the telecom ministry partly to install equipment for establishing digital telephone links at district and upazila levels.

The equipment will be set up at a cost of Tk 19.90 crore. A proposal of the Communications Ministry for procuring 50,000 steel sleepers for Bangladesh Railways also obtained the seal of the Purchase Committee.

The Cabinet Purchase Committee approved another proposal for appointing a consultant for an Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded project.

Furthermore, it endorsed a cancellation proposal of the industries ministry about the installation of affluent- treatment plant at Saver Leather Industrial Complex. Earlier, this proposal was approved by the committee but later complexity arose over the project.