Govt getting ready for timely distribution of Tk 5.4b subsidy for Boro cultivation
Thursday, 18 December 2008
S M Jahangir
The government has initiated necessary preparations for ensuring proper and timely distribution of Tk 5.40 billion worth of subsidy among the Boro farmers on their use of diesel for the coming irrigation season, official sources said.
"Preparations are on to ensure the disbursement of cash subsidy among the eligible farmers on the use of diesel for irrigation purpose during the forthcoming Boro cultivation season," a senior agriculture ministry official told the FE Monday.
The ministry has already asked the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) for preparing a fresh list of farmers to be brought under the official cash support on the basis of its field-level information, the official said.
He further said the DAE has also been asked to submit an evaluation report on the previous disbursement arrangement of the diesel subsidy to the Ministry of Agriculture shortly, the official mentioned.
"We have sought a detailed feedback reports from the DAE in order to make the subsidy disbursement process more effective and target-oriented," said the official.
Official sources, however, said the ultimate purpose of the current initiatives is to provide the direct cash support to the genuine Boro farmers across the country.
They also indicated that both the number of farmers and the amount of cash subsidy would increase this year in comparison with the previous time.
"Since the government has allocated an increased amount of fund -- Tk 5.40 billion -- for the purpose, the rate of subsidy will be higher than that of the last programme," an official said.
The current increased price of diesel at the domestic level will be taken into consideration while fixing the rate of subsidy, he noted.
During the last Boro cropping season, the government disbursed cash subsidy among about 6.6 million listed Boro' farmers on their use of diesel for the purpose, officials said.
The government distributed only Tk 2.49 billion as subsidy in the last Boro cropping season as against its initial allocation of Tk 7.50 billion, they said.
The government has initiated necessary preparations for ensuring proper and timely distribution of Tk 5.40 billion worth of subsidy among the Boro farmers on their use of diesel for the coming irrigation season, official sources said.
"Preparations are on to ensure the disbursement of cash subsidy among the eligible farmers on the use of diesel for irrigation purpose during the forthcoming Boro cultivation season," a senior agriculture ministry official told the FE Monday.
The ministry has already asked the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) for preparing a fresh list of farmers to be brought under the official cash support on the basis of its field-level information, the official said.
He further said the DAE has also been asked to submit an evaluation report on the previous disbursement arrangement of the diesel subsidy to the Ministry of Agriculture shortly, the official mentioned.
"We have sought a detailed feedback reports from the DAE in order to make the subsidy disbursement process more effective and target-oriented," said the official.
Official sources, however, said the ultimate purpose of the current initiatives is to provide the direct cash support to the genuine Boro farmers across the country.
They also indicated that both the number of farmers and the amount of cash subsidy would increase this year in comparison with the previous time.
"Since the government has allocated an increased amount of fund -- Tk 5.40 billion -- for the purpose, the rate of subsidy will be higher than that of the last programme," an official said.
The current increased price of diesel at the domestic level will be taken into consideration while fixing the rate of subsidy, he noted.
During the last Boro cropping season, the government disbursed cash subsidy among about 6.6 million listed Boro' farmers on their use of diesel for the purpose, officials said.
The government distributed only Tk 2.49 billion as subsidy in the last Boro cropping season as against its initial allocation of Tk 7.50 billion, they said.