Spl allocation for laggard regions in new budget [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

Spl allocation for laggard regions in new budget

Local May 31, 2017

The government for the first time will keep aside special allocation in the new national budget for development of the laggard regions in the country, according to officials.
Finance minister AMA Muhith would make the special allocation during the announcement of the budgetary measures for the 2017-18 fiscal on June 1 in parliament.
The special allocation could be around Tk 3,000 crore, said the official.
The laggard regions have been identified by the finance division on the basis of poverty map prepared in 2010.
Out of eight divisions, districts under Rajshahi, Barisal and Mymenshing will receive bigger allocation.
According to the poverty map the prevalence of poverty in Barisal, Kurigram, Myensingh, Jamalpur, Gaibandha and Kurigram is more than 40 per cent.
Muhith told New Age that he felt the necessity of making special allocation for the less developed regions of the country in the upcoming budget.
By the special allocation the regions would be recognised as laggard for the first time, he said.
He noted that the failure of district budget initiative led him to introduce the special allocation for the less developed and poverty prone areas.
In 2010, Muhith had initiated the concept of district budget with the aim of giving budgetary allocation on the basis demand by the people living in a district.
But the initiative fell through in the face of opposition by bureaucrats who still favour preparation of national budget centrally.
Finance ministry officials said Muhith was likely to announce special allocation for the Hindu community in the upcoming budget.
They said the allocation would be utilised for protection of temples.
Besides, the government is likely to increase allocation for the disabled in the upcoming budget to ensure their normal living and equal rights.
The budgetary allocation for disabled was Tk 756.34 crore in the outgoing fiscal.
Associations of disabled people have already demanded allocation of Tk 6,785 crore in social safety and social empowerment sector in 2017-18 fiscal year.