Rapid loss of arable land worries PM
Monday, 24 December 2012
Worried at the fast reduction of arable land, Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina Sunday emphasised formulating a proper plan on an emergency basis for planned urbanisation and village development, reports UNB.
"About 0.1 million hectares of agricultural land are shrinking per year due to the unplanned construction of houses, roads and establishments in the country," the PM made the comment while addressing a three-day national conference of upazila-level leaders of the Institution of Diploma Engineers' at IDEB auditorium in the city.
The council is being observed with the theme 'Gram Banglai Prajukti-Gonomanusher Orthanoitik Mukti' (expand technology in rural areas: bring economic emancipation of masses).
Held with IDEB president AKMA Hamid in the chair, IDEB general secretary M Shamsur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.
The PM said unplanned development is causing a loss of huge land every year and people are being deprived of better service because of scattered location of government offices.
"We want to formulate a plan to earmark the areas for government offices, housing, schools and colleges and industries. We'll have to encourage people to develop their villages in a planned way alongside taking a plan for decent urbanisation," she told the diploma engineers.
Sheikh Hasina said she believed that there is no best resource in the world other than a skilled workforce.
She went on: "So, the quality of works and the proper use of public property depend on your (Diploma engineers) skill and honesty. I want your sincere cooperation in this regard."
The PM said the country would have witnessed much better progress had the money allocated for development projects been spent properly.
Mentioning that about 85 per cent of development works, including roads, bridges and culverts, and establishment of mills and factories, are implemented at the field level by diploma engineers, Hasina said proper utilisation of state resources depends on efficiency, honesty and integrity of the engineers.
The PM said her government is mulling construction of Upazila Complex in every upazila for the planned development of rural areas and help people get government services from a single centre.
Sheikh Hasina said that her government has set up 12 engineering universities, 49 Polytechnic Institutes, including three in the public sector and introduced SSC (vocational) course in 1,800 private high schools as well as Diploma Engineering Course in 205 private Polytechnic Institutes in the country. Besides, she said, her government has decided to set up 25 more Polytechnic Institutes, including three for female students.
All these initiatives, she said, have enabled to create midlevel skilled manpower for the country.
The PM said a decision has been taken to expand vocational education through establishing one technical school in each upazila of the country.
Laying emphasis on ICT-based education, Hasina said the present government has taken initiatives to reach digital service systems alongside technical education to the doorsteps of the common people.
Sheikh Hasina listed the various achievements of her government in health, education and infrastructure development sector as well as poverty alleviation, women empowerment and in creation of employment in the country.
She also described various programmes taken for the development of county's communication sector saying that mega projects, including Alleviated Express Way, Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway Four Lane projects have been taken to improve the country's traffic system.
"About 0.1 million hectares of agricultural land are shrinking per year due to the unplanned construction of houses, roads and establishments in the country," the PM made the comment while addressing a three-day national conference of upazila-level leaders of the Institution of Diploma Engineers' at IDEB auditorium in the city.
The council is being observed with the theme 'Gram Banglai Prajukti-Gonomanusher Orthanoitik Mukti' (expand technology in rural areas: bring economic emancipation of masses).
Held with IDEB president AKMA Hamid in the chair, IDEB general secretary M Shamsur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.
The PM said unplanned development is causing a loss of huge land every year and people are being deprived of better service because of scattered location of government offices.
"We want to formulate a plan to earmark the areas for government offices, housing, schools and colleges and industries. We'll have to encourage people to develop their villages in a planned way alongside taking a plan for decent urbanisation," she told the diploma engineers.
Sheikh Hasina said she believed that there is no best resource in the world other than a skilled workforce.
She went on: "So, the quality of works and the proper use of public property depend on your (Diploma engineers) skill and honesty. I want your sincere cooperation in this regard."
The PM said the country would have witnessed much better progress had the money allocated for development projects been spent properly.
Mentioning that about 85 per cent of development works, including roads, bridges and culverts, and establishment of mills and factories, are implemented at the field level by diploma engineers, Hasina said proper utilisation of state resources depends on efficiency, honesty and integrity of the engineers.
The PM said her government is mulling construction of Upazila Complex in every upazila for the planned development of rural areas and help people get government services from a single centre.
Sheikh Hasina said that her government has set up 12 engineering universities, 49 Polytechnic Institutes, including three in the public sector and introduced SSC (vocational) course in 1,800 private high schools as well as Diploma Engineering Course in 205 private Polytechnic Institutes in the country. Besides, she said, her government has decided to set up 25 more Polytechnic Institutes, including three for female students.
All these initiatives, she said, have enabled to create midlevel skilled manpower for the country.
The PM said a decision has been taken to expand vocational education through establishing one technical school in each upazila of the country.
Laying emphasis on ICT-based education, Hasina said the present government has taken initiatives to reach digital service systems alongside technical education to the doorsteps of the common people.
Sheikh Hasina listed the various achievements of her government in health, education and infrastructure development sector as well as poverty alleviation, women empowerment and in creation of employment in the country.
She also described various programmes taken for the development of county's communication sector saying that mega projects, including Alleviated Express Way, Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway Four Lane projects have been taken to improve the country's traffic system.