The New Nation - Internet Edition

THE government adopted the Second Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP-II) on Thursday with effect from July 2008. It would be implemented at an estimated expenditure of Taka 2,568 billion over a three-year period ending in June 2011. It has a clear focus on the agriculture sector, which still employs eighty percent of the rural people. According to official sources, 25 percent of the total expenditure has been allocated for this sector. The GDP growth targets for the years have been set at 7.0, 7.2 and 7.5 percent. Investment has been estimated accordingly.

The poverty reduction strategy is a drive to eradicate the curse of poverty in phases set under the UN Millennium Development Goals where poverty alleviation has been placed as the top-most agenda. All development programmes in the PRSP-II must revolve round poverty reduction, which is a multidimensional issue that necessitates a co-ordinated approach of all stakeholders including development partners. It is a participatory decision-making and development programme. Involvement of all concerned must be ensured for incorporating suggestions from all quarters and for the successful implementation of the strategy.

The previous PRSP expired in June this year making adoption of the new one overdue. But it has been approved at a time when there exists no parliament and, as such, necessary debate and discussion involving participation of political forces could not be held. A section of political forces have reportedly alleged that employment issue has not been given due attention in it. The PRSP- II has been prepared allegedly without proper assessment of successes and failure of the previous one. However, the PRSP exercise helped a better understanding of poverty from as many angles as possible. This is expected to lead to a realistic plan for the sustainable development.