Saifur Asks Ministries
Spend funds by May to get enhanced allocation
More funds for BADC in next budget likly
UNB, Dhaka
The next budget is likely to allocate more funds for strengthening Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and other agricultural research institutions to help produce high-yielding variety (HYV) of seeds to increase agriculture output."BADC seeds are in demand among the farmers," Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman told reporters after a pre-budget meeting with eight ministries, including agriculture, at the ministry yesterday. Presently, the BADC supply only five percent of the total seed demand while the rest comes mainly from household stocks of the farmers, Agriculture Ministry officials said. Imported seeds also meet some demand, though marginally. Saifure asked the ministries to spend funds allocated under the current budget by the month of May to get enhanced allocation in the next budget. Other ministries at the meeting were Social Welfare, Women and Children Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Fisheries and Livestock, LGRD and Cooperatives, Water Resources and Power. Saifur said that the coming budget would be formulated with a caring attitude for the distressed population, including the elderly, the retarded ones and widows.
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