JS-15 PM-BUDGET-4-LAST DHAKA

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JS-15

PM-BUDGET-4-LAST DHAKA

Sheikh Hasina, also President of the ruling Awami League, said it has been possible to make inflation rate stable, the budget deficit tolerable, the money exchange rate business friendly and ensure sufficient reserve of foreign exchange due to pragmatic and time-befitting measures undertaken by the government.

The prime minister said the government has taken all possible measures to increase growth in industrialization aimed at speeding up growth in the GDP as well as generating employment.

Setting up of (100) special economic zones across the country will help attain the targets set by the government, Sheikh Hasina said.

“Priority will be given on the development of service, agriculture, tourism and housing sectors,” she said, adding that the GDP growth will be double digit with implementing the projects regarding infrastructures development within the quickest possible time.”

“Since we are giving priority on the private sector, targets have been set to ensure electricity, fuel, port facilities and security as well through public investment,” the prime minister said.

She said a Taka 100 crore has been allocated in the proposed budget as ‘start up fund’ to facilitate the youths to start their businesses utilizing the fund.

And a Taka 100 crore has also been allocated in the proposed budget to stop river erosion, Sheikh Hasina said.

She said that 2 percent cash incentive will be given on remittance from the next fiscal year to reduce the expense in sending remittance which will encourage the expatriates to send remittance in legal ways.

The government has a plan to bring the expatriate Bangladeshis under the insurance coverage, the premier added.

She also said that the government has been giving 4 percent incentive in four segments of the Readymade Garment Factory while a proposal of giving one percent incentive on RMG exports in the proposed budget is an epoch-making decision.

The premier said her government has a target to bring each people under the coverage of the electricity soon as it has already brought 93 percent of the people under the coverage.

The government has set a target to generate 60,000 megawatt of electricity by 2041, she said, adding that Bangladesh is now importing 600 megawatt of power from India while talks with Nepal and Bhutan are underway in this regard.

She said her government has been tirelessly working to reach civic amenities to the villages under the project “Amar Gram Amar Shohor” (My Village My Town”.

Turning to education sector, the premier said, “We are giving topmost priority on the education sector. As many as Taka 87,620 crore has been allocated in the education sector.”

On health sector, she said, “Our target is to reach healthcare services to doorsteps of the people. Currently, 13779 community clinics have been rendering healthcare services free of cost at the grassroots and distributing 30 different types of medicines.”

Around 4000 community clinics are giving delivery services, she said, adding that the government has created post for 3000 midwives for cutting down the maternity death rate, she said.

The government will set up medical university in each divisional city for development of medical education, she continued.

Regarding agriculture, the premier said, the contribution of agriculture sector to GDP is 13.3 percent.

“We have achieved huge success in agriculture in the last one decade. Nowadays, Bangladesh has secured third position in vegetables production and fourth in rice production,” she said.

About digital Bangladesh, the premier said, “Today’s Bangladesh is truly a digital Bangladesh as the government has built necessary infrastructures of technology and its huge expansion has also been made.”

The government is now building 28 high-tech parks while works on three of them have already been completed, she continued.

BSS/AHJ/SAH/KU/2142hrs