Fund for agri rehab scheme in Sidr-hit areas inadequate
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
S M Jahangir
Poor availability of fund from the government might undermine the successful implementation of agriculture rehabilitation programme in the country's Sidr-hit coastal districts, sources said.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has sanctioned only Tk 460 million for the rehabilitation of agriculture in the cyclone-affected areas against the initial requirement of Tk 662.80 million, they said.
The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has no other option but to cut short the number of districts under its rehabilitation programme due to shortfall in fund.
"Out of the total sanctioned amount, we have released Tk 360 million for implementing the agri-rehabilitation programme in a total of 13 cyclone-affected districts," a senior MoA official said.
Of the total fund, nearly Tk 76.41 million has been allocated for Bagerhat district, followed by Barisal district with Tk 47.36 million and Pirojpur district with Tk 43.80 million, the source mentioned.
The MoA had sought a Tk 662.80 million fund for launching its agri-rehabilitation programme for all the 30 cyclone-hit districts, sources said.
The official, however, said other affected districts would come under the rehabilitation scheme in phases with the availability of more resources from the government.
However, agriculturists and experts have cast their doubts over the success if the rehabilitation programme is delayed further.
As the cultivation of 'Boro' and other winter crops like vegetables have already begun across the country, the affected framers needs immediate support from the government in this connection, they observed.
They, however, cautioned that any setback in the implementation of the government's rehabilitation programme could take its toll on the country's Boro output.
Apart from the reduction of the number of districts, the affected farmers are not getting adequate support under the rehabilitation programme.
Under the existing programme, farmers of the worst affected districts will get seeds and fertiliser free of cost for cultivating up to three 'bighas' of land while such support will be provided to farmers to cultivate one bigha of land in other affected districts, official sources said.
The MoA has earmarked only 30,000 hectares of land for bringing under its first phase of rehabilitation programme for Boro cultivation in 11 Sidr affected districts, said an official source.
Moreover, farmers of 13 Sidr-hit districts will also get seeds and fertilisers for cultivation of only three decimals of land under the rehabilitation programme, it mentioned.
The November 15 Sidr damaged crops on more than 0.6 million hectares of land in 30 southwestern districts.
The total loss to the 'Aman' crop due to the cyclone has been estimated at 0.8 million tonnes, official figures showed.
Poor availability of fund from the government might undermine the successful implementation of agriculture rehabilitation programme in the country's Sidr-hit coastal districts, sources said.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has sanctioned only Tk 460 million for the rehabilitation of agriculture in the cyclone-affected areas against the initial requirement of Tk 662.80 million, they said.
The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has no other option but to cut short the number of districts under its rehabilitation programme due to shortfall in fund.
"Out of the total sanctioned amount, we have released Tk 360 million for implementing the agri-rehabilitation programme in a total of 13 cyclone-affected districts," a senior MoA official said.
Of the total fund, nearly Tk 76.41 million has been allocated for Bagerhat district, followed by Barisal district with Tk 47.36 million and Pirojpur district with Tk 43.80 million, the source mentioned.
The MoA had sought a Tk 662.80 million fund for launching its agri-rehabilitation programme for all the 30 cyclone-hit districts, sources said.
The official, however, said other affected districts would come under the rehabilitation scheme in phases with the availability of more resources from the government.
However, agriculturists and experts have cast their doubts over the success if the rehabilitation programme is delayed further.
As the cultivation of 'Boro' and other winter crops like vegetables have already begun across the country, the affected framers needs immediate support from the government in this connection, they observed.
They, however, cautioned that any setback in the implementation of the government's rehabilitation programme could take its toll on the country's Boro output.
Apart from the reduction of the number of districts, the affected farmers are not getting adequate support under the rehabilitation programme.
Under the existing programme, farmers of the worst affected districts will get seeds and fertiliser free of cost for cultivating up to three 'bighas' of land while such support will be provided to farmers to cultivate one bigha of land in other affected districts, official sources said.
The MoA has earmarked only 30,000 hectares of land for bringing under its first phase of rehabilitation programme for Boro cultivation in 11 Sidr affected districts, said an official source.
Moreover, farmers of 13 Sidr-hit districts will also get seeds and fertilisers for cultivation of only three decimals of land under the rehabilitation programme, it mentioned.
The November 15 Sidr damaged crops on more than 0.6 million hectares of land in 30 southwestern districts.
The total loss to the 'Aman' crop due to the cyclone has been estimated at 0.8 million tonnes, official figures showed.