Proposed budget to ensure peoples welfare: Lawmakers

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SANGSAD BHABAN, June 21, 2018 (BSS) – Lawmakers participating in the national
budget discussion today said the proposed national budget for 2018-19 fiscal
will ensure the overall welfare of the people by maintaining the continuity of
development of the country.

At the same time, they said the mega budget also turn the country into a
middle income by 2021 and a developed nation by 2041 under the leadership of
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Taking part in the general discussion on the proposed budget in the house,
State Minister for Social Welfare Nuruzzaman Ahmed said the proposed budget
would ensure overall welfare of the people and help the country to reach its
desire goal within stipulated time.

Terming the budget a pro-people, Nuruzzaman Ahmed said the proposed budget has
increased the allowances of the distressed people.

The proposed budget has increased the number of age old allowance
beneficiaries from 35 lakh to 40 lakh, number of widows from 12,65,000 to 14
lakh and insolvent allowance beneficiaries from 8.50 lakh to 10 lakh.

Even the overall volume of allowance beneficiaries also has increased to
90,000 from the earlier number of 80,000, the minister said in his discussion.

At the same time, the stipend for the disable students has been increased to
Taka 700 from Taka 500at the primary level, Taka 750 from Taka 600 at
secondary level and Taka 850 from Taka 700 at higher secondary level, the
minister stated.

The social welfare minister, however, said all the previous budgets during the
regime of Sheikh Hasina’s government since 2008 had crossed the growth rate
of 2.50 per cent more than the growth rate of Pakistan. The present proposed
budget also will cross the growth rate of India, he hoped.

Describing the proposed budget as forward looking and development oriented,
State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Zahid Malik said the proposed
budget didn’t imposed any new tax, saying that it [proposed budget] has
brought 12 lakh people under the safety net coverage, so it will help to
eliminate poverty.

The proposed budget also has exempted tax from some live-saving drugs, motor
cycle and refrigerator, said Malik.

Moreover, the government has imposed 25 per cent import tax on the rice import
which would help the growers to get better price from rice production, Zahid
pointed out.

Referring country’s growth rate, the State Minister said “our growth rate
already has jumped to 7.6 per cent from 5.1 per cent and now it is higher in
the world in compare to the growth rate of India, Indonesia and Pakistan.”

Now the growth rate of India is 7.2 per cent, Indonesia 7.1 per cent and
Pakistan 5.4 per cent, said the state minister.

Treasury bench members ABM Tazul Islam, Abdur Rahman, Selina Begum, Selina
Akhter Banu, Kamrul Ashraf Khan, Wasika Ayesha Khan, Sabina Akhter Tuhin,
Begum Fazilatunnesa, Muhibur Rahman Manik, Mahabub Ali, Selina Jahan Lita,
Yonus Ali Sarker, Abdul Maleque, Golam Mostafa, M Abul Kalam, Asheque Ullah
Rafique, Faridul Hoque Khan, Begum Kamrun Nahar Chowdhury, opposition
lawmakers Shariful Islam Jinnah, Nurul Islam Talukder, Peer Fazlur Rahman and
Jatiya party (JP) Ruhul Amin also took part in the general discussion on
budget.

On June 7, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith placed a Taka 4,645.73
billion national budget for 2018-19 fiscal setting the GDP growth target at
7.8 percent and detailing a set of programmes to transform the country into a
role model of modern and welfare state by 2041.

Earlier, the lawmakers paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members who were assassinated on
August 15, 1975 and all martyred during the War of Liberation in 1971.