Budget to provide 'national job scheme' for youths

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FE Report
Finance minister AMA Muhith Saturday said the upcoming budget would provide a "national job scheme" for the higher secondary graduate students to employ them in the public sector for two years.
"First, we will start the project in some few upazilas in the next year. Then we will expand the programme countrywide gradually," he said at a press conference in the city.
The finance minister said: "The young who completes the higher secondary certificate (HSC) level study will be given the opportunity. They would be trained for six months and employed in some selected government departments."
The trained young people would be appointed at selected government departments like armed forces, agriculture, social welfare, public works and local government engineering departments, he said elaborating the new job scheme paradigm.
"After completion of two years in job, the young professionals would choose their own future career--whether they will continue their job with the public sector," Mr. Muhith said without mentioning the allocation for the project in the next budget.
"Only four days from announcing the national budget, I will not tell you the allocation. Please wait until June 11, you will know everything," the finance minister said while replying to a question of a reporter.
The finance minister will place the national budget for next financial year 2009 before parliament on June 11.
When asked about the upcoming budget size being substantial, Mr. Muhith said, "Have you seen any budget in the past which was smaller than the preceding year? It has never happened."
"We have to keep provisions in the next budget to face the global recession, create new employment and expand social safety-net programmes. So, what is the option except increasing the budget size?" he said.
"Smuggling, tax evasion, declaring lower-than-actual land value during registrations are the major avenues to make black money. We would deal with these type of dishonesty very strictly," he said.
"For this, only the law cannot ensure control of such dishonesty. Patriotism to the individual will have to be raised."
The minister who called the press conference to brief about his experience at the Islamic Development Bank (IDB)'s 34th annual meeting said they had requested the donor to extend its support to the Bangladesh's mega project Padma Bridge.
"The IDB assured us of providing US$130 million for constructing the Padma Bridge. But we have sought $200 million from them," he said.
When asked about the deficit financing for the project, Mr. Muhith said they are considering issuing bonds to raise money from domestic sources.
Three-member team, led by AMA Muhith, attended the IDB's annual meeting at Ashgabad in Turkmenistan from June 3 to 4.