The current ADP of Tk 22,000 crore may be trimmed down to Tk 20,500 crore after the ongoing review. Again, with the elections in mind, the local currency component of the ADP may be jacked up, planning ministry sources said. But the foreign currency component may be reduced by Tk 1,500 crore.

The ADP figures will be finalised after Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman returns from the US next Saturday. The National Economic Council will approve the ADPs on May 24.

The current ADP has Tk 14,500 crore in local currency and Tk 7,500 crore in foreign currency.

"Slow foreign aid disbursement because of negotiation delays has necessitated the cut in the ADP," said a planning ministry source.

"We are under tremendous pressure from ministers and lawmakers to increase expenditure in their constituencies ahead of the election," he added.

The finance minister held a meeting with the ministry's resource committee to discuss the next budget and ADP revision. After the meeting, the finance ministry asked the planning ministry to formulate the new ADP keeping in mind a Tk 24,000 crore outlay.

During a pre-budget meeting between Saifur and lawmakers last month, the public representatives demanded at least Tk 1 crore allocations for each of their constituencies because of the elections.

Meanwhile, in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, 46 percent of the ADP could be implemented. Although this is better than last fiscal year's 40 percent for the same period, planning commission officials are sceptic about any marked improvement in the scenario at the end of the budget year.

Last year's ADP was trimmed to Tk 19,000 crore from Tk 20,300 crore. But ultimately the government could spend Tk 16,796 crore.