Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday (June 20) asked all concerned to pay attention to the ways to contain inflation as the common people are suffering from it.
She also underscored the need for availing funding from foreign sources alongside local funding to ensure project financing.
According to her, if the trend on timely implementation of foreign-aided projects increases, then disbursement of foreign loans would increase which would also put an impact on the foreign currency reserves.
The Prime Minister gave the directive while chairing a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) held today at the NEC Conference Room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said the Prime Minister is well-aware of the current inflationary situation. "An integrated effort should be in the market. The government in its highest level is very much aware of it," said Mannan.
He also said that development partners like the World Bank, ADB and JICA are ready to extend more supports, including budget support to Bangladesh, but the government would take those as per its necessity and capacity.
State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam said that more than $50 billion of foreign assistance is in the pipeline.
Stressing more on conducting irrigation through solar-powered pumps, the Prime Minister asked the authorities concerned to ensure cent percent agriculture irrigation through solar-powered pumps gradually.
She also directed the Ministry of Agriculture to increase the height of the solar panels, during their installation, so that cultivation of vegetables including onion, ginger, turmeric and fish farming could take place on the land beneath the solar panels.
Mannan said that the government would give necessary supports, including tax related facilities, if the private sector comes forward to set up solar panels.
Referring to the project on infrastructural development of BCS Tax Academy, he said that the Prime Minister directed the executing agency to use less land during the implementation of the project.
A total of 16 projects were approved today in the ECNEC meeting involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 24,362.14 crore. "Of the total project cost, Taka 12,873.11 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh exchequer, Taka 16.15 crore from the organization's own fund and the rest Taka 11,472.88 crore from project assistance.
Of the approved 16 projects, eight are new while eight are revised projects.
BDST: 1753 HRS, JUNE 20, 2023
MSK/SMS
