Amended PRSP-II for '09-'11 to be finalised by Aug 31

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Doulot Akter Mala
The government has decided to finalise the amended PRSP-II for 2009-2011 within this month incorporating new strategies to limp out from global recession that would reflect contemporary issues and financial plans of the present government.
The decision was taken in a recent meeting of the thematic committee of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) chaired by Dr. Mashiur Rahman, economic affairs adviser to the Prime Minister.
The amended PRSP-II will be based on the present government's election manifesto which will focus on immediate steps to escape from the global recession, and measures to resolve power crisis and double social safety net, a planning ministry official said.

The government is expediting the finalisation of PRSP-II to get budgetary support from development partners in the current fiscal, he said.
In October 2008, the caretaker government has framed the three-year PRSP. But following the global financial turmoil the present government has taken the move to overhaul the PRSP incorporating more strategies in the present context.
With an aim to bring down the poverty rate to 25 per cent from 40 per cent by 2013, the amended PRSP will increase projection of investment in power sector to generate 5000 megawatt power by 2011, the official said.
The government has amended the PRSP-II keeping its main structure unchanged, he said.
The revised PRSP will be placed before the Members of Parliament for their opinion, said the official quoting the meeting decision.
Sector-based issues of PRSP will be finalised after discussion with the ministries of finance and planning and the Bangladesh Bank, he said.
Planning ministry is set to divide the relevant ministries in four groups before finalisation of sector-based plans that are incorporated in the amended PRSP-II, he said.
Amended PRSP-II will focus on employment generation by raising the capital of Employment Bank, he added.
It will also include establishment of expatriates' welfare bank to ensure best utilisation of remittance, he added.
A total of 21 sectors will need Tk3190.44 billion to implement the PRSP-II in 2009-2011 term.
The government will provide 80 per cent of the fund from its own coffer and rest of the fund will be managed from donor countries.
The country adopted the first PRSP in July 2005 that expired in June 2007.