India to relax procurement conditions for projects under $1b credit line
FHM Humayan Kabir
India has lately assured Bangladesh of relaxing the procurement conditions for some of the projects under its US$1.0 billion credit line. The assurance came following Dhaka's earlier decision to exclude some projects, the execution of which were being delayed due to such 'hard' conditions, officials said Thursday.
India will now allow Bangladesh to procure up to a maximum of 65 per cent of products locally, instead of 15 per cent, as mentioned in the related credit deal, a joint secretary at the Ministry of Finance (MoF) told the FE.
"An Indian delegation at a bilateral discussion meeting Thursday said the government of India will allow the rest seven, out of the 20 earmarked projects under the credit accord, and also the fresh ones, if any, to procure up to a maximum of 65 per cent products of Bangladesh-origin," he said.
The Indian delegation, led by Joint Secretary of its External Affairs Ministry Ms Radhika Lokesh, held discussions with the officials of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) in Dhaka Thursday.
ERD additional secretary Arastoo Khan presided over the meeting, where, among others, the representatives of the Indian lender -- EXIM Bank -- were also present.
Under to the existing conditions of the $1.0 billion Indian credit package, Bangladesh will require to procure at least 85 per cent of goods, works and services from India. Only 15 per cent goods, works or services can be procured from Bangladesh, if the contractor fails to source it from India.
Out of the 20 projects, the road sector development works have been affected much by the 'hard' procurement conditions of the Indian loan, as sourcing of stone, sand and brick from India would double the cost of road construction.
The ministries that are implementing the projects have said if they procure 85 per cent of goods, works and services from India, such projects would not be commercially viable.
Another senior official of the MoF said since the 13 projects, out of the 20 earmarked ones under the Indian $1.0 billion credit, have already been included in the credit line by the Indian government, the rest seven projects are also expected to come under the relaxed conditionalities.
If the government of Bangladesh takes up any fresh project, it will get the benefit of the relaxed conditions, he said, mentioning the outcome of the bilateral meeting in Dhaka.
The joint secretary of the MoF said: "The Indian delegation assured us that they will now examine, on a case-to-case basis, the non-approved and fresh projects under their credit line, and could allow procurement up to a maximum of 65 per cent of goods, works and services from the Bangladesh market."
"The meeting has also decided to review the projects in every two-month period to speed up their implementation," he added.
India has also changed its earlier position on imposition of harder conditions about procurement of six dredgers with the support of its credit of $95.6 million. It will now allow procurement of 40 per cent of products from India by the project implementing agencies in Bangladesh.
The Indian dredger-maker will henceforth be able to procure up to 60 per cent of the required machinery and equipment from outside the country for supplying the finished products to Bangladesh.
Dhaka and New Delhi signed a $1.0 billion credit deal in August, 2010. Bangladesh has so far undertaken 20 projects under the credit line.