Implementation of low-priority development projects will be staggered and may even be carried over to the next fiscal year to make the funds available.

A high-level meeting presided over by Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman and attended by secretaries of ministries concerned and planning commission officials will today discuss the fund diversion.

Finance ministry sources said the ministries would be directed to start post-flood rehabilitation with allocated funds already provided in the budget for repair and maintenance.

However, there is a thin chance of increasing the current Tk 22,000 crore ADP.

The funds saved from low-priority projects will then be added to donors' post-flood contribution, finance ministry sources said.

Planning ministry sources said a significant portion of the more than 300 new projects included in the current ADP might not be implemented because of the floods.

Economic Relations Division (ERD) officials will sit with multilateral donors by the month-end to discuss the nature and amount of their assistance in post-flood rehabilitation. However, local funds would be used immediately since donors' assistance may take time to come.

District administrations have already informed the finance minister of the grave situation of rural infrastructure after the floods and urged him to allocate funds for quick reconstruction.

According to government figures until yesterday, floods have completely destroyed 13,500-km and partially damaged 42,996-km of roads.

Additionally, 5,338 bridges and culverts and 1,235 schools have been completely destroyed and 23, 437 schools partially damaged.

A high official of the planning ministry observed that a central cell needs to be set up to monitor post-flood rehabilitation programmes to check corruption.