Effective measures against poverty are needed
Friday, 5 February 2010
Campaigners for good governance (by Shujon, etcetera) note that poverty exists more in rural areas than in the urban areas. That being the reality, it is now time for us to go back to the perennial question of land reforms and especially the issue of addressing the needs of the landless and marginal farmers. There is little question that the numbers of those who own no land or are being compelled to sell off land have in the past few years has been going up. Such a situation holds the very dangerous potential of social disorder in the future unless it is handled sagaciously.
The government must go seriously into the business of devising social security programmes in a manner that will gradually cover all vulnerable groups in the country. Providing subsidies to the farmers is a crucial necessity. Apparently the figures for subsidies go up regularly, but to what extent such subsidies actually percolate down to the really poor and needy farmers remains a pertinent question. Without adequate guarantees that locally influential and partisan people will not lay their hands on what should be going to the poor, the campaign against poverty will not make any headway.
Ahmed Fazal
Road no 4, Dhanmondi Residential Area
Dhaka.
The government must go seriously into the business of devising social security programmes in a manner that will gradually cover all vulnerable groups in the country. Providing subsidies to the farmers is a crucial necessity. Apparently the figures for subsidies go up regularly, but to what extent such subsidies actually percolate down to the really poor and needy farmers remains a pertinent question. Without adequate guarantees that locally influential and partisan people will not lay their hands on what should be going to the poor, the campaign against poverty will not make any headway.
Ahmed Fazal
Road no 4, Dhanmondi Residential Area
Dhaka.