It’s not rocket science

The Planning Commission has turned down a proposal for allocating Tk 2.70 crore for foreign trips of 30 officials for training on building food warehouses across the country under a project of the food ministry.

Slamming the proposal at a meeting of the Proposal Evaluation Committee (PEC) on Tuesday, the commission said the trips were "unnecessary" and technologies were already available in the country for construction of such warehouses.

The food ministry earlier sent a project proposal to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) to build 196 food warehouses at a cost of Tk 693 crore.

Speaking to The Daily Star yesterday, Planning Commission member Begum Sharifa Khan said, "It's not rocket science. They should understand how the temperature is maintained in warehouses for preserving cereals."

Sharifa, who chaired the meeting, said they have directed the authorities to cut the proposals on foreign trips.

Currently, the country has six silos, 12 CSDs (Central Supply Depot) and 635 LSDs (Local Supply Depot) under the food department.

If approved by Ecnec, the project will be implemented by the department by December 2024.

On Wednesday, the Planning Commission also suggested allocating only three vehicles for the project against the demand for 10.

The allocation of funds for officials' foreign trips, mainly for trainings, meetings, and seminars, has been on the rise over the years.

In the 2020-21 fiscal year, the government allocated Tk 2,200 crore as expenses for foreign tours of its officials, up by Tk 70 crore allocated in the previous fiscal year.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had previously spoken against frequent foreign trips. The commission is now strictly evaluating such proposals.