The ministries concerned have also been directed not to accept any new projects, unless they are donor-funded, beyond the 330 projects currently under the Annual Development Programme (ADP).

"A directive has been given to all ministries concerned to start off post-flood rehabilitation immediately. For our long-term rehabilitation programme, we will inform the multinational donors of the needs after we receive the assessment report," Saifur told reporters, emerging from a high-level meeting with the secretaries of the relevant ministries at the National Economic Council conference room yesterday.

"The ongoing ADP projects and donor-funded projects will continue along with the post-flood rehabilitation programme," Saifur said.

He added the less-priority ones would remain suspended for a while and be carried over in the next fiscal year for implementation.

The finance minister also sent a strong warning to meeting participants against any pilferage in the name of post-flood rehabilitation, meeting sources said. As the planning commission vice-chairman, Saifur also asked secretaries to closely monitor the rehabilitation programme to check corruption and misuse of funds.

The Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Department (IMED) of the planning ministry has been assigned with field visits to major post-flood rehabilitation projects to cross-check and confirm demands made in project proposals.

Ministries concerned, including communications, health, education and agriculture, have been asked to provide assessment reports of damage done by the floods.

On the basis of the assessment findings, the Planning Commission, IMED and Economic Relations Division (ERD) will jointly decide which projects are to be presented to donors, such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, for funding assistance, meeting sources said.

The secretary to industries ministry told the meeting that an additional 7,000 tonnes of fertiliser would be needed in the government inventory to meet the huge amount required to rehabilitate the agriculture sector, a meeting source said.

The rehabilitation of the agriculture sector would be dealt a blow if the government were to follow procurement guidelines as it would take at least 41 days to purchase the fertiliser from overseas, the secretary added.

Saifur assured the secretary of steps to change the procurement guidelines at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs next week to facilitate the procurement, said meeting sources.

Finance Secretary Zakir Ahmed Khan also informed the meeting Tk 553 crore has been provided for repairs and maintenance to the Roads and Highways Department under the budget, Tk 370 crore to local government and rural development ministry, Tk 250 crore to Public Works Department, Tk 110 crore to health ministry, Tk 100 crore to disaster management and relief ministry and Tk 70 crore to the education ministry.

Saifur directed the finance division to immediately release the repair funds according to the needs highlighted by the ministries.