Address energy problems on priority basis: CPD
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
FE Report
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a think-tank, in its budget proposals urged the government to address energy problems on priority basis in order to sustain the economic development of the country.
CPD executive director Mostafizur Rahman and distinguished fellow Debapriya Bhattachariya handed over the budget proposal to finance minister AMA Muhith on Monday.
The government needs to allocate adequate funds for establishment of proposed Coal Bangla, withdraw customs duties on import of solar panels and exempt the annual renewal fee of captive power generators.
Agricultural production should be increased and regional disparity reduced and to achieve those special projects should be undertaken to promote cultivation of boro crop in southern regions and non-rice crops in Barind areas.
The CPD is of the view that higher domestic production of rice is needed for comfortable supply situation and 15 per cent duty on rice should be imposed to discourage imports. It also demanded establishment of a permanent commission on agricultural cost and prices.
It proposed to introduce zero tariffs for import of capital machineries and upward revision of tariff on finished goods particularly on luxury goods.
In view of the global financial crisis, the government should create an export stabilisation fund for providing loans at low interest to adversely affected sectors, returnee migrants and retrenched workers.
The government should increase the retirement age from 57 to 60, raise primary teachers' salary scale from grade 15 to grade 12 and make necessary provisions in the budget for speedy implementation of the recommendations of the National Pay Commission Report,
It also urged the government to broaden various social safety net programmes and put in place an appropriate act to facilitate private sector investment under public private partnership (PPP) initiatives in the budget.
For tax exemption purposes, it proposed to increase the threshold income from Tk. 1,65,000 to Tk. 1,85,000 as between June 2008 and June 2009 general inflation rate has been about 10 per cent.
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a think-tank, in its budget proposals urged the government to address energy problems on priority basis in order to sustain the economic development of the country.
CPD executive director Mostafizur Rahman and distinguished fellow Debapriya Bhattachariya handed over the budget proposal to finance minister AMA Muhith on Monday.
The government needs to allocate adequate funds for establishment of proposed Coal Bangla, withdraw customs duties on import of solar panels and exempt the annual renewal fee of captive power generators.
Agricultural production should be increased and regional disparity reduced and to achieve those special projects should be undertaken to promote cultivation of boro crop in southern regions and non-rice crops in Barind areas.
The CPD is of the view that higher domestic production of rice is needed for comfortable supply situation and 15 per cent duty on rice should be imposed to discourage imports. It also demanded establishment of a permanent commission on agricultural cost and prices.
It proposed to introduce zero tariffs for import of capital machineries and upward revision of tariff on finished goods particularly on luxury goods.
In view of the global financial crisis, the government should create an export stabilisation fund for providing loans at low interest to adversely affected sectors, returnee migrants and retrenched workers.
The government should increase the retirement age from 57 to 60, raise primary teachers' salary scale from grade 15 to grade 12 and make necessary provisions in the budget for speedy implementation of the recommendations of the National Pay Commission Report,
It also urged the government to broaden various social safety net programmes and put in place an appropriate act to facilitate private sector investment under public private partnership (PPP) initiatives in the budget.
For tax exemption purposes, it proposed to increase the threshold income from Tk. 1,65,000 to Tk. 1,85,000 as between June 2008 and June 2009 general inflation rate has been about 10 per cent.