Agriculture to get highest priority in budget: Muhith

28 May 2010, 18:00 PM

Bss, Dhaka

Director of Channel i Shykh Siraj presents a 44-point recommendation on the development of agriculture to Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Thursday night. Photo: Focus Bangla

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said the agriculture would get highest priority in the upcoming budget side by side with increasing subsidy to the sector. “In recognition to the sector's huge contribution to the economy, subsidy on agriculture will be raised to a great extent in the upcoming budget in comparison with the past,” he said while Director of Channel i Shykh Siraj was presenting a 44-point recommendation on the development of agriculture to him on Thursday night. The recommendations were placed to the government as part of the pre-budget activities on the agriculture sector titled 'Krishi Budget Krishaker Budget, arranged by 'Mati o Manush', a programme of Channel-i. Muhith said special attention would be given to agriculture research and agriculture sub-sectors in the next budget as the agriculture sub-sectors are truly lagging far behind. Referring to the sorry state of the poultry industry, he said the banking sector is responsible for not using Tk 100 crore incentives given to the poultry sector by the government. “The government is actively considering providing more assistance to the poultry farmers this year,” he said. Mentioning the sincerity of the present government in solving the existing problems of the fisheries sector, he said special emphasis will also be given to this sector in the upcoming budget. Agreeing with most of the recommendations of Shykh Siraj, the finance minister said overall development of the country depends on the uplift of agriculture as well as rural lifestyle. Praising the agriculture budget activities of 'Mati o Manush', he said through this programme the rural people of the country are now much aware of their rights. “Those who could not speak in the past now can speak without any hesitation,” he said mentioning that it is a great achievement. About placing separate agriculture budget, Muhith said a separate budget structure could be made merging three sectors -- agriculture, rural development and water resources. He, however, said a separate budget is not the last word. An accurate planning and development policy is very important to this end, he added. He said this year's budget would not be mere descriptive, adding preparation is being taken to place the budget in bullet form and through power point presentation so that it becomes brief but easily understandable. The 44-point recommendations formulated by Shykh Siraj included river dredging and increasing sources of surface water, ensuring uninterrupted power facility, raising tax on tobacco products, encouragement of alternative fuel like biogas and other sources, increasing food warehouses, introduction of crop insurance, specific allocation for agriculture research, ensuring organic method to check pesticides, construction of more cold storages for preserving potato and making the Department of Agriculture Extension time-befitting.