Poverty should give highest priority in upcoming budget

Zinnia Sheikh

Ensuring food for every person and their maximum health care urged to consider the most priority in the upcoming national budget for fiscal 2021-22 at Tritiyo matra on Wednesday (26th May, 2021)

The guest Dr. Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director of Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said, the government must allocate highest priority in the health sector. The most focused should be whether there is enough equipment for infected patients in hospitals. At the same time, whether there is enough ICO and adequate arrangements for corona tests.

She also emphasized whether masks are being used extensively this year.

The government must cut the allocation of infrastructure megaprojects in this crisis moment.  

Five fast-track projects, including much-hyped metro rail and Padma multipurpose bridge which were scheduled to be completed by 2021, have been proposed to get a lower allocation where any new megaproject asked not to start this year.

On the other hand, poor people should give top most priority in this budget. To fix poverty, the budget should allocate funds for decentralization, said by Planning Minister MA Mannan.  

Dr. Fahmida Khatun said, to solve this problem a fine line of policy should be included in the upcoming budget.

Both of the guests agreed to allocate funds in the education sector and health sector. Besides that, they indicated wealth creation and proper wealth distribution is most important in the upcoming budget.

Creating employment for the extremely poor people is one of the major demands in this upcoming budget as well.

In agriculture, it is very important to gradually increase productivity and excellence as well. At the same time, farmers need to learn how to use various techniques in agriculture.

The guest discussed those factors at Tritiyo matra on Wednesday.