ZCZC
BSS-44
RAZZAQUE-SEMINAR-BUDGET
Budget not ambitious, but realistic: Razzaque
DHAKA, June 20, 2019 (BSS) – Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque today termed the proposed budget for fiscal 2019-20 as realistic and strongly opposed the attribution of ‘highly ambitious budget’.
“The budget is not highly ambitious, but a realistic one as the government has achieved unprecedented successes in different sectors under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he said.
The minister was addressing a seminar titled ‘Agriculture Sector in Proposed Budget for 2019-20 Fiscal Year’ as the chief guest at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) in the city.
Bangladesh Agricultural Economists Association (BAEA) organized the seminar while Planning Minister MA Mannan addressed it as the special guest. BAEA President and Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office Sajjadul Hassan presided over it.
Noting that the rate of budget implementation under the Awami League (AL) government is 90 percent in recent time, Razzaque said the budget implementation rate of the current fiscal could be known within the next two months.
The development budget was increased to Taka 22,000 crore in 2006 from Taka 18,000 crore in 2001, the agriculture minister said, adding it was Taka 23,000 crore during the military backed caretaker government.
But the development budget in the proposed budget for FY 2019-20 is Taka 2 lakh 2,000 crore and in revised budget Taka 1 lakh 67,000 crore, he said, adding, “I think the total budget will be implemented”.
He said food surplus in the country proved what incentives the government had given to the farmers after assuming office in 2009.
“Our economy and social customs have been moulded by agriculture. If we can take proper programmes, proper development is possible,” Razzaque added.
Stressing on mechanization of the country’s agriculture sector, the minister said 90 percent of the total cultivable land is suitable for using technology.
Addressing the seminar, planning minister MA Mannan said it is amazing that Bangladesh has been positioned in the list of top countries of high yielding agricultural goods in the world.
It has been possible only under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he added.
BAEA Secretary General Professor Dr M Kamruzzaman delivered welcome address while Professor of Agricultural Economics Department of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) Dr Fakir Azmal Huda presented a keynote paper in the seminar.
BSS/SAH/KU/2038 HRS