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Govt brings smile in every citizen’s face


Published : 23 Jun 2019 09:00 PM | Updated : 04 Sep 2020 02:36 PM

Aiming at bringing smile in every citizen’s face, the government is working to eliminate poverty from the county. Since assuming office, the Awami League government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been working hard to bring smile on every citizen’s face of the country and for this it attached the highest importance on elimination of poverty.

Planning Minister MA Mannan on Sunday said this while addressing a budget discussion held at Lakeshore Hotel in Dhaka. The Centre for Policy Dialogue organised the discussion titled ‘An analysis of the National Budget for FY 2019-20’. The planning minister said the number of poor is gradually coming down in the society. “Holistic development by implementing the budget will help everyone,” he said.

“We are working to reduce discrimination between poor people and reach people,” Mannan said adding that, “The government has put much emphasis on ensuring better life of the citizens by developing infrastructure, improving power and electricity situation and extending health and education services as well as widening social safety programmes.”

“The discrimination will not go totally. There is no country in the world where disparity has gone totally. Hence, the government is working to maintain it in a minimum level,” he added. Analyzing the proposed budget for FY 2019-20, the CPD said the cost of living for low and medium income groups will rise compared to the affluent section of the society.

It said, the government would create three crore jobs by 2030 but there is no specific guideline in the budget speech whether it will be created in towns or urban areas or in government or in private sectors. The CPD welcomed issues like fewer number of new projects in ADP, changes in tax holiday, tax exemption on educational institutions, trainings or employing physically challenged, changed rate of tax credit on investment, increase in Vat exemption threshold, introduction of ‘crop insurance’, Tk 100 crore allocation to provide start-up capital to promote youth entrepreneurship and a number of a number of industries received renewed protection.

The CPD also urged further assessment on different measures including tax measures to boost capital market, timely action in VAT automation, obtaining input tax credit through VAT return only by those who provides 15 percent VAT, increase VAT on social media based virtual business and reduced duty on a number of parts used for producing mobile phones with increased CD on smartphones.

Former deputy speaker of National Parliament Professor Ali Ashraf, member, parliamentary standing committee on Ministry of Finance Kazi Nabil Ahmed, former minister for commerce Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, senior secretary, IRD and chairman, National Board of Revenue (NBR) Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, CPD chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan and CPD distinguished fellow Professor Mustafizur Rahman were also present on the occasion. CPD Executive Director Dr Fahmida Khatun presented the keynote paper.