ZCZC
JS-09
PM-JS-DISCUSSION-BUDGET-3-LAST
The premier said they have attached top priority on health sector with allocating more fund, packages and compensation to control further spread of the COVID-19.
“The Health Services Division has secured 5th position from the previous eighth in terms of allocation,” she said.
A special programme involving Taka 5,500 crore is being implemented while the National Preparedness and Response Plan has already been implemented to protect lives of masses from the lethal virus, she said.
The prime minister also said they have allocated Taka 10,000 crore to meet the emergency demand to fight the COVID-19 while the government has given approval to two projects involving Taka 2,500 crore to purchase medical equipment, test kit and increase health facilities.
She also said that the approval of one more project is now at the final stage adding that the capacity to treat COVID-19 patents will be extended further if all the projects are implemented accordingly.
She added that 2000 physicians and 6000 nurses have already been appointed to ensure better treatment for the COVID-19 patients while posts for recruitment of 2000 more physicians and 3000 health technologists, cardiographers, and lab attendants have already been created.
Pointing at an allegation raised by Deputy Opposition Leader GM Quader in the House earlier, the prime minister said the expenditure of Tk 20 crore against hotel rent and foods of a medical college seems to be slightly unusual.
“We’re investigating it as to why it is so unusual. We’ll take action if any irregularity occurred there,” she added.
The prime minister reiterated her government stance on showing “zero tolerance” against corruption and vowed to continue the dragnet against the corrupt elements, saying, “No corrupt will be spared.”
“We will continue the drives against corruption to maintain the country’s development trend and uphold our achievements,” she continued.
Referring to the death rate in the COVID-19 in India (3.08 percent), Pakistan (2.03 percent), the UK (14.03 percent) and the USA (5.0 percent), the premier said the global death rate is 5.01 percent while the death rate in Bangladesh is only 1.26 percent.
“The statistics shows that we have been able to maintain lower death rate in comparison to others as the government has taken effective measures in this regard. No death is expected,” she continued.
She prayed for salvation of the departed souls who died in the COVID-19 disease and early recovery of the coronavirus infected patients.
The premier the poverty rate is being decreased by 1.4 percent on an average in Bangladesh while the reducing trend may be experienced otherwise as the economic activities have been halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She, however, expressed the hope that her government would be able to stop increasing poverty rate by implementing the already declared stimulus packages in a proper manner.
“We will be able to bring the poverty rate to its former trend with resuming the normal economic activities in the next fiscal year,” she hoped.
The premier said the agriculture sector has got second priority in the budget aimed at averting food crisis during the period of coronavirus pandemic.
“I asked the agriculture ministry and its associate organisations to take prompt measures to bring every inch of arable land under cultivation as no food crisis is created in the post-corona period,” she continued.
Mentioning that Bangladesh has secured third position in the world in production of rice, she said, the government has taken measures to purchase 11.50 lakh metric tonnes of rice and 8 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in this Boro season, amounting to double in comparison to the last Boro season.
The prime minister said Bangladesh produced some 3.99 crore metric tonnes of crops this time which is 25 lakh metric tonnes higher than the domestic demand.
The premier said the social safety net programme has also got priority in the budget with an allocation of Taka 95,574 crore which is 16.8 percent of the total allocation and 3.01 percent of the GDP.
As many as 12,330 5500 people are the beneficiaries of the social safety net programme, she added.
BSS/AHJ/KU/1940 HRS