Lawmakers participating in the national budget discussion on Sunday said the proposed national budget for 2018-19 fiscal will ensure the overall welfare of the people by maintaining the continuity of development of the country.
At the same time, they said the mega budget also turn the country into a middle income by 2021 and a developed nation by 2041 under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Taking part in the general discussion on the proposed budget in the house, State Minister for Social Welfare Nuruzzaman Ahmed said the proposed budget would ensure overall welfare of the people and help the country to reach its desire goal within stipulated time.
Terming the budget a pro-people, Nuruzzaman Ahmed said the proposed budget has increased the allowances of the distressed people.
The proposed budget has increased the number of age old allowance beneficiaries from 35 lakh to 40 lakh, number of widows from 12,65,000 to 14 lakh and insolvent allowance beneficiaries from 8.50 lakh to 10 lakh.
Even the overall volume of allowance beneficiaries also has increased to 90,000 from the earlier number of 80,000, the minister said in his discussion.
At the same time, the stipend for the disable students has been increased to Taka 700 from Taka 500at the primary level, Taka 750 from Taka 600 at secondary level and Taka 850 from Taka 700 at higher secondary level, the minister stated.
The social welfare minister, however, said all the previous budgets during the regime of Sheikh Hasina’s government since 2008 had crossed the growth rate of 2.50 per cent more than the growth rate of Pakistan. The present proposed budget also will cross the growth rate of India, he hoped.
Describing the proposed budget as forward looking and development oriented, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Zahid Malik said the proposed budget didn’t imposed any new tax, saying that it [proposed budget] has brought 12 lakh people under the safety net coverage, so it will help to eliminate poverty.
The proposed budget also has exempted tax from some live-saving drugs, motor cycle and refrigerator, said Malik.
Moreover, the government has imposed 25 per cent import tax on the rice import which would help the growers to get better price from rice production, Zahid pointed out.
Referring country’s growth rate, the State Minister said “our growth rate already has jumped to 7.6 per cent from 5.1 per cent and now it is higher in the world in compare to the growth rate of India, Indonesia and Pakistan.”
Now the growth rate of India is 7.2 per cent, Indonesia 7.1 per cent and Pakistan 5.4 per cent, said the state minister.
Treasury bench members ABM Tazul Islam, Abdur Rahman, Selina Begum, Selina Akhter Banu, Kamrul Ashraf Khan, Wasika Ayesha Khan, Sabina Akhter Tuhin, Begum Fazilatunnesa, Muhibur Rahman Manik, Mahabub Ali, Selina Jahan Lita, Yonus Ali Sarker, Abdul Maleque, Golam Mostafa, M Abul Kalam, Asheque Ullah Rafique, Faridul Hoque Khan, Begum Kamrun Nahar Chowdhury, opposition lawmakers Shariful Islam Jinnah, Nurul Islam Talukder, Peer Fazlur Rahman and Jatiya party (JP) Ruhul Amin also took part in the general discussion on budget.
