Govt for raising service age limit to 58 years

The government has finalised a draft with a proposal to raise government service age limit, reports bdnews24.com. With a view to amending the Civil Service Act, the draft proposes to raise the age limit for government service to 58 years from the present 57. The government has also invited suggestions on the draft. An establishment ministry press release said Thursday that the draft had been published on the websites of establishment ministry, cabinet division and deputy commissioners to get suggestions and opinions. "The act is being reformed to make the administration The government will sit with the donors on April 10 to discuss the draft 6th Five-Year Plan (2011-15) before its approval, reports UNB.Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Planning Minister AK Khandker, Prime Minister's (PM's) Economic Affairs Adviser Dr. Mashiur Rahman and senior officials will attend the meeting at NEC conference hall. Strategic points of the plan will be shared in the meeting with the donors' community, including World Bank, ADB and DFID, on the draft plan, said an official at the ERD. Suggestions from the donors might be considered and incorporated in the final plan. Earlier this month, World Bank country director Ellen Goldstein at a meeting had requested the planning minister to share the plan with the development partners before its finalisation. The minister assured her of holding discussion with them. Meanwhile, national dialogues were held on the five-year plan under the supervision of General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission. According to the plan, the core targets were envisaged at annual GDP growth of 7.3 per cent on an average, reduction of the poverty ratio by 10 per cent, increasing share of industrial employment from 17 per cent to 25 per cent and enhancing of contribution of industrial productivity to 10 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP). The core targets also include 100 per cent net enrollment for primary education, increase in enrollment in 12th class to 60 per cent, reduction of under-five mortality to 50 per 1000 live birth, reduce infant mortality to 31 per 1000 live birth, reduction of total fertility to 2.1, increase in productive forest coverage by 2.0 per cent, attain World Health Organisation (WHO) standards of air quality in Dhaka and other large cities and treat all urban waste water to clean river waters.