BB chief suggests preparing 2nd PRSP with inputs from election manifestoes
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed Monday recommended preparing the second PRSP taking inputs from the election manifestoes of the political parties as the election is due in next six months, reports UNB.
"It would have been best and easy preparing a poverty reduction strategy taking inputs from the election manifestoes," he told the concluding session of a two-day consultation on finalising the second PRSP.
"A PRSP document prepared after new political government assuming office, it will ensure accountability of the government to the people," he said adding that the political government would decide how they would like to give importance on sectors like agriculture, SMEs and women empowerment.
"Political ownership of the PRSP is very important," he observed.
The governor's recommendation is almost similar to the one put forward on the first day of consultation for adopting an interim PRSP due to the absence of a political government in the country.
General Economic Division of the Planning Commission organised the two-day consultation on the first draft of the second PRSP for the period FY09-11 at the NEC conference room.
The 3-year first PRSP expires this month, without going through any monitoring and evaluation on its implementation.
Economists, academics, senior bureaucrats, researchers and NGO activists took part in the discussion with the Bangladesh Bank Governor in the chair.
The draft document after finalisation through consultation will be submitted to the Council of Advisers for its endorsement. Prior to this, the Planning Commission will hold another consultation on the draft document with the development partners.
Dr Salehuddin said all the parties were more or less unanimous about the poverty reduction strategy, but differences of opinion still remained over its implementation.
"We could unlock the potential to some extent, but now the challenge is how the achievements could be reached to the poor. This strategy is the biggest challenge," he said.
He stressed the need for introducing social auditing of the programmes to be taken under the PRSP so the people could understand the achievements.
In view of the next budget, the Bangladesh Bank Governor emphasised on giving direct allocation for poverty reduction and said indirect allocation would not work well in reducing poverty.
He also stressed the need for strengthening coordination of PRSP with macroeconomic framework and mid-term budgetary framework.
CPD executive director Dr Mostafizur Rahman recommended addressing the rising poverty due to price-hike of essentials.
Their (CPD) study shows that about 49 percent of the population now languish below the poverty line as compared to 40 percent in 2005, when the first PRSP was adopted.
Speakers stressed the need for updating data to formulate appropriate strategy, action plan for properly utilising the remittance, strategy for land reforms and evaluation of the first PRSP.
They also underscored the need for adequate budgetary allocations to address the issues of regional disparity as well as pocket poverty.
"It would have been best and easy preparing a poverty reduction strategy taking inputs from the election manifestoes," he told the concluding session of a two-day consultation on finalising the second PRSP.
"A PRSP document prepared after new political government assuming office, it will ensure accountability of the government to the people," he said adding that the political government would decide how they would like to give importance on sectors like agriculture, SMEs and women empowerment.
"Political ownership of the PRSP is very important," he observed.
The governor's recommendation is almost similar to the one put forward on the first day of consultation for adopting an interim PRSP due to the absence of a political government in the country.
General Economic Division of the Planning Commission organised the two-day consultation on the first draft of the second PRSP for the period FY09-11 at the NEC conference room.
The 3-year first PRSP expires this month, without going through any monitoring and evaluation on its implementation.
Economists, academics, senior bureaucrats, researchers and NGO activists took part in the discussion with the Bangladesh Bank Governor in the chair.
The draft document after finalisation through consultation will be submitted to the Council of Advisers for its endorsement. Prior to this, the Planning Commission will hold another consultation on the draft document with the development partners.
Dr Salehuddin said all the parties were more or less unanimous about the poverty reduction strategy, but differences of opinion still remained over its implementation.
"We could unlock the potential to some extent, but now the challenge is how the achievements could be reached to the poor. This strategy is the biggest challenge," he said.
He stressed the need for introducing social auditing of the programmes to be taken under the PRSP so the people could understand the achievements.
In view of the next budget, the Bangladesh Bank Governor emphasised on giving direct allocation for poverty reduction and said indirect allocation would not work well in reducing poverty.
He also stressed the need for strengthening coordination of PRSP with macroeconomic framework and mid-term budgetary framework.
CPD executive director Dr Mostafizur Rahman recommended addressing the rising poverty due to price-hike of essentials.
Their (CPD) study shows that about 49 percent of the population now languish below the poverty line as compared to 40 percent in 2005, when the first PRSP was adopted.
Speakers stressed the need for updating data to formulate appropriate strategy, action plan for properly utilising the remittance, strategy for land reforms and evaluation of the first PRSP.
They also underscored the need for adequate budgetary allocations to address the issues of regional disparity as well as pocket poverty.