DHAKA: The government is going to purchase 211 high-end Pajero vehicles for the upazila chairmen spending Tk 100 crore under a decision taken by the Local Government Division.

Sources said each of the Mitsubishi Pajero V31 VHNDRB of 2350cc vehicles will cost Tk 41.5 lakh. With the additional costs of   registration fee Tk 80,000, CNG conversion cost TK 66,948 and single AC installment cost Tk 40,000, the total cost for each car will run into Tk 43,36,948.

Manjur Hossain, Secretary of the Local Government Division, told banglanews24.com.bd that a letter has already been sent to the secretariat regarding the car purchase.

Source said that, initially, an agreement was signed with Progoti, manufacturer of Mitsubishi Pajero Jeeps, for purchasing each Pajero at Tk 32.50 lakh.

But the amount was later re-estimated as foreign-currency exchange rates increased. The budget of 2010-11 increased supplementary tax to 45 percent from 30 and AIT to 5 percent from 3, which resulted in the cost overruns to Tk 41.50 lakh each.

“A sum of Tk 16.65 crore was allocated from 2008-09 fiscal budget and Tk 100 crore from 2009-10 budget against the Local Government Division for the purchase of cars,” one source said.

The budget for the current 2010-11 fiscal year earmarked Tk 71.5 crore for this purpose.

BDST 2010 HRS, SEP 4, 2010