DHAKA, Mar 8, 2019 (BSS) – The Awami League government has embarked on a multidimensional plan to take special projects in the next national budget to turn villages into towns in line with the ruling party’s election manifesto.
“Under LGD Division, some 206 projects are being implemented to reach urban amenities to the rural areas,” said a senior official of LGD division.
Out of 21 pledges made by AL in the electoral manifesto, he said, at least six are directly connected with Local Government Division (LGD).
The pledges are- ‘My village, my town: expansion of modern urban amenities in rural areas’, ‘city and town plan, planned development’ , ‘Sustainable and inclusive development, ‘Prosperous Bangladesh’, ‘Women empowerment’, ‘Poverty alleviation and reducing discrimination’, and ‘Communication’.
Noted civil engineer National Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury suggested that the government should take multidimensional projects for ensuring smooth electricity and water supply, sanitation, quality education, health services and other civic facilities in the rural Bangladesh as like as in the city and town areas to turn villages into towns.
“Agro based small industries should be set up in rural areas and congenial atmosphere for business and commerce should be ensured to create employment opportunities for youths especially higher educated ones to make them human resources,” he added.
Chaowdhury, also vice-chancellor of University of Asia Pacific, said the government should take housing projects for rural areas to protect agriculture land and boost up agriculture based economy in rural Bangladesh.
“People in rural areas are constructing houses without proper plans. If it continues, there will be no agriculture land after 30 to 40 years,” he said and suggested to take multidimensional plans to save farm lands to protect the country’s rich agriculture.
To implement ‘My Village-My Town’, the LGD official said, by engaging elected public representatives of the local government institutions, the LGD is taking necessary development plans to include ins and outs of problems and potentials of rural Bangladesh. “LGD has taken initiatives to expand rural communication, growth center and markets of commodity goods. LGED will also ensure proper sanitation, waste management and water supply in the rural areas,” he added.
LGD will also establish amusement parks and recreation centers and libraries and community spaces to enable villagers in getting enough opportunities of entertainment which is now considered one of the crucial rights of citizens, he added.
In implementing government pledges, he said, LGD will face several challenges, including financial supports for maintenance of rural infrastructures, expansion of roads and highways, construction of communication infrastructures in haor and low laying areas, strengthening death and birth registration activities, modern waste management, utilization of ICT for simplifying civic services and disposal of pending cases, writs or lawsuits in the courts.
He said LGD will enhance the transference, integrity, skilled and capability of the local government institutions, he added.
The LGD official said the division will ensure 100 percent waste management, sanitation and drinking water in the rural areas.
He said various specialized projects, including SWAPNO and Jawtno, are helping the ministry to make the poor people self-reliant by involving them in income generating activities.
The official said the government is taking an Upazila Master plan to expedite the income generation activities at the root level.
“Through the master plan, the rural people will get urban facilities which will create income-generating opportunities for youths,” he added.
With a view to attaining the SDGs and alleviating poverty, the official said, the government would further boost up the cooperatives at villages and in remote areas across the country.
He said the government has already established digital center at every union parishad for ensuring low cost digital services for each people across the country. Through the centers, a total of 112 services are being provided to the root level people, he added.
In the last 10 years, he said, Local Government Division (LGD) implemented a total of 311 projects with a cost of Taka 1,92,739.67 crore.