Donors to help in PRSP plan

Donor countries gave assurance yesterday that they would help Bangladesh in implementing the revised Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) but they laid more emphasis on its proper implementation.
The assurance came after Finance Minister AMA Muhith and Planning Minister AK Khandker jointly placed the second PRSP to the Local Consultative Group (LCG), a forum of Bangladesh's development partners.
The PRSP was presented at a meeting with the LCG held at the auditorium of National Economic Council (NEC) in the planning commission.
The UK Department for International Development (DFID) Country Director in Bangladesh Chris Austin led the LCG. World Bank Acting Country Director Robert L Floyd and other representatives were also present.
The government at the meeting presented an estimated total expenditure of Tk 3,750.86 billion for the revised PRSP for the fiscal year (FY) 2009-11.
Of the total expenditure, Tk 2,590.40 billion is estimated to be collected from internal resources with a deficit of Tk 1,160.46 billion.
Meeting sources said, the donors assured Bangladesh of the financial assistance but didn't say who would provide how much. It would be conveyed to Bangladesh at the next meeting of Bangladesh Development Forum (BDF) likely to be held early next year.
The donor countries emphasised the need for its implementation free from corruption, sources added.
Asked whether assistance had been sought from the donors to meet the expenditure of gas the finance minister avoided a direct reply and said the meeting had discussed the issue and it would be discussed in detail at the next BDF meeting.
The minister said the PRSP would be finalised by December. The meeting of BDF is likely to be held between January 20 and February 7.
The finance minister said transport, energy and power sectors were given the highest importance in the PRSP.
The UK Department for International Development Country Director in Bangladesh Robert L Floyd told journalists, the PRSP document spelled out how the government would remove corruption and ensure good governance.
An initial discussion in this regard was held with the government. The issues would come up for elaborate discussion at the next BDF meeting, he said.
For the development of the transport sector the PRSP laid emphasis on construction of major bridges, development of road corridor and border road to facilitate sub-regional trade, and regional balance in road development.
It said that the construction of Padma Multi-purpose Bridge would be completed by 2013.
It also mentioned the plan to construct a four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway, establish rail link with neighbouring countries under the Asian Rail and Highways Scheme, undertake a three-year maintenance rolling plan and rehabilitation of railway.
It also said Mongla Port and Chittagong deep sea port will be developed and will be opened to all regional users.
According to the PRSP electricity generation will be raised to 7,000 megawatt (MW) by 2013, and 8,000 MW by 2015.
Renewable energy and coal energy, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) towards a new business climate, exploring new fields of oil and gas and tapping nuclear resource for generation of electricity were also given importance in the second PRSP.