Five-year plan to be reintroduced after end of PRSP
Thursday, 2 April 2009
FE Report
The government has decided to reintroduce the five-year development plan after the implementation period of the ongoing poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) ends in July 2011, officials said Wednesday.
The decision came at a meeting between Finance minister AMA Muhith, planning minister AK Khandakar and economic affairs adviser to the Prime Minister Dr. Masihur Rahman at the planning ministry Wednesday.
"We've decided to switch over to five-year plan from the ongoing PRSP. A proposal in this regard will be placed at a cabinet meeting this month for approval," Muhith told reporters after the meeting.
The goals and targets in the PRSP will be incorporated in the proposed five-year development plan, he said, adding: "I hope the donors will appreciate the move."
The government introduced the PRSP as advised by donors in July 2005 setting a target to achieve the millennium development goals (MDGs) by the year 2015.
Emerging from the meeting planning minister AK Khandakar said there was a provision of five-year development plan in the country's constitution.
"The five-year plan was adopted in the past. We want to reintroduce it again," he said.
The three senior policy-makers of the government also decided to frame a "perspective plan 2021" and a "vision paper 2035" to streamline the country's development and achieve sustainable growth.
Due to criticism from different quarters on the shortcomings in the ongoing PRSP, the newly elected Awami League-led government has taken the initiative to change the nation's public investment policy.
The critics, including development activists and political leaders, say the PRSP, which is not a homegrown document, has failed to ensure an inclusive and sustainable development of the country as it has no well-organised long-term goals to be achieved within a certain period.
Bangladesh first introduced the "five-year development plan" in July 1973, which continued until 2002. Later, the first PRSP was adopted in July 2005 by the BNP-led four-party alliance government.
The government has decided to reintroduce the five-year development plan after the implementation period of the ongoing poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) ends in July 2011, officials said Wednesday.
The decision came at a meeting between Finance minister AMA Muhith, planning minister AK Khandakar and economic affairs adviser to the Prime Minister Dr. Masihur Rahman at the planning ministry Wednesday.
"We've decided to switch over to five-year plan from the ongoing PRSP. A proposal in this regard will be placed at a cabinet meeting this month for approval," Muhith told reporters after the meeting.
The goals and targets in the PRSP will be incorporated in the proposed five-year development plan, he said, adding: "I hope the donors will appreciate the move."
The government introduced the PRSP as advised by donors in July 2005 setting a target to achieve the millennium development goals (MDGs) by the year 2015.
Emerging from the meeting planning minister AK Khandakar said there was a provision of five-year development plan in the country's constitution.
"The five-year plan was adopted in the past. We want to reintroduce it again," he said.
The three senior policy-makers of the government also decided to frame a "perspective plan 2021" and a "vision paper 2035" to streamline the country's development and achieve sustainable growth.
Due to criticism from different quarters on the shortcomings in the ongoing PRSP, the newly elected Awami League-led government has taken the initiative to change the nation's public investment policy.
The critics, including development activists and political leaders, say the PRSP, which is not a homegrown document, has failed to ensure an inclusive and sustainable development of the country as it has no well-organised long-term goals to be achieved within a certain period.
Bangladesh first introduced the "five-year development plan" in July 1973, which continued until 2002. Later, the first PRSP was adopted in July 2005 by the BNP-led four-party alliance government.