The PRSP has even lower export growth estimates, of 6 percent and 7 percent, for FY 2005-06 and FY07 in the quota-free regime.

The authors of the paper however hold the low projections to be 'realistic' and say, even with such export increase, the country will have a 6.5 percent GDP (gross domestic product) growth in FY07.

The national steering committee on the PRSP at a press briefing yesterday said, considering the economic realities, they have designed a realistic poverty alleviation plan.

"If we follow this plan efficiently, avoiding wastage, it will take the nation out of poverty by 2015," said Kamal Siddiqui, chairman of the committee and principal secretary to the prime minister. "We have prepared this document on our own. There is no donor prescription here."

"It is not ambitious, it is doable," said Finance Secretary Zakir Ahmed Khan, one of the committee members.

Another committee member explained the reason for the lowered export targets: "As there is an uncertainty about our export opportunities in the post-MFA regime, we had to be realistic and conservative. If we fare better, it is great for us."

Prompted by a question on whether the PRSP recommends any measures to curb corruption, committee member Hossain Zillur Rahman, an economist, said, "We have some time-bound projects that will reduce corruption in multiple sectors. Corruption is an offshoot of lack of good governance and the PRSP aims at improving governance."

The country on an average achieved a 5 percent annual GDP growth in the last decade, but, at the same time, social inequity widened, pointed out reporters, and asked whether the PRSP would address this issue.

In response, Kazi Mesbahuddin Ahmed, member secretary of the committee and a member of the Planning Commission, said, "As the growth in production took place mainly in the non-farm sectors, it naturally widened the social inequity. That is why the PRSP tilts towards creating safety net programmes and to ensure that the poor get the benefits of the growth."

"We intend to improve their skills and provide them with capital," Ahmed added.

Kamal Siddiqui defined the PRSP as "a three-year policy matrix for implementing poverty alleviation strategies in various sectors." He said the paper gives specific target for every sector and outlines the national priorities.

According to the paper, the GDP growth will involve higher private investment in all sectors and increased inflow of foreign direct investments, increased efficiency and technological progress across the economy, expanded growth of industry, diversification in crop production and expansion of the export sector, among others.