Green budget shrinks further

Despite growing concern over the environment and the effects of climate change, the government has been reducing budgetary allocation in the sector for three consecutive years.
The budget does not seem to consider the fact that the country is facing more and more environmental challenges every year and that a clean environment was among the ruling party's key election pledges.
The total allocation for the environment and forest ministry in the next fiscal year is around Tk 7,99 crore.
The allocation was Tk 912 crore in the outgoing fiscal year, Tk 1,231 crore in 2011-12 and Tk 1,116 crore in 2010-11.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith said the country had sustained a loss of $ 2,189 million, “equivalent to around 1.8 percent of our GDP”, due to natural disasters between 1990 and 2008.
“We have, therefore, attached special importance to mitigating the impacts of climate change, preservation of environment and disaster management,” he added.
The allocation for the sector, however, runs contrary to the statement. The government has also reduced the allocation for the Climate Change Trust Fund to Tk 255 crore. This fiscal year, it was Tk 400 crore.
The government has approved 194 small-scale and pilot projects that are intended to reduce climate change vulnerability and will be implemented by different agencies.
Only 19 of the projects have been completed while another 96 were in progress last month, an official from the government-formed climate change cell told The Daily star.
Besides, Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund has been created with the assistance from development partners. The total amount of aid to this fund so far is $ 189.5 million.
Muhith's statements about the curbing of river water pollution, the shifting of tannery industries from Hazaribagh, navigability and afforestation seemed a repetition of what he had said in his last three years' budget speeches.
The government, however, has allocated Tk 16,916.89 crore for the Ministry of Food, Disaster Management and Relief in the budget.
It has approved the National Disaster Management Plan 2010-2015 with a view to strengthening disaster management.
The government is building 74 flood shelters in areas prone to flood and river erosion, Muhith noted. A disaster management plan and guidelines are underway at 276 unions in 34 districts as part of a national programme.