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Dhaka: Faced with widespread criticism, the Planning Commission has asked officials to cancel trips abroad to finally learn how to cook Khichuri.
It has been said that thanks to Corona, the foreign travel sector is not being maintained in any project taking into account the health issue.
In a project of the primary school feeding program, 5 million rupees were required to go abroad to learn how to cook and process eggs, khichuri, vegetables and other foods. Furthermore, Tk 10 crore was also required for training on the same subject in the country. The commission has asked to cancel the whole thing.
The Department of Primary Education (DPE) had proposed sending government officials on a visit to India at a cost of 5 million rupees to learn how to cook Khichuri.
After the news was published in the media, there was criticism throughout the country.
The Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) of the Socio-Economic Infrastructure Division of the Planning Commission held a meeting on Monday (September 14) on the project. Planning Commission member (Secretary) Abul Kalam Azad chaired the PEC meeting. The Khichuri proposal was rejected at the meeting.
Swapan Kumar Ghosh, head of the socio-economic infrastructure department, told banglanews on the issue of the cancellation of the two sectors. We cannot go beyond the discipline of ECNEC (Executive Committee of the National Economic Council). The Corona crisis is currently happening. The foreign travel sector is not maintained in any project. So why will you be in this project.
He added that the training sector in the country has also been canceled. People will not be allowed to waste a penny. Therefore, you have been asked to cancel the offer of Tk 15 crore. However, perhaps 4-5 lakh rupees will be saved for training in the country. Other sectors of the project are also being analyzed. I have asked to reduce expenses, including the cancellation of many sectors. I have also asked to increase some sectors. The project will be implemented in 509 upazilas. If we see an increase in one or two upazilas, we have no objection.
Currently, approximately 3.3 million children do not attend primary school. They do not go to school for various reasons. The DPER claims that food distribution will help children go to school and solve their nutritional problems. Food will be provided to 1 crore 46 lakh 60 thousand students through this program at a cost of 19 thousand 262 crore 72 lakh 25 thousand taka. Within the framework of the project, the students will receive khichuri-eggs and vegetables three days a week at noon. Nutritious cookies will be given for the remaining three days.
According to sources from the Planning Commission, the cost of distributing food to children in the project’s DPP (Development Project Proposal) is Tk 1,618.56 million rupees.
According to sources from the Planning Commission, the modalities of fortified biscuits with micronutrients and nutritious cooked foods will be implemented. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will be appointed for training at the national and field levels, program review workshops, orientation workshops and technical seminars based on topics, storage, distribution and monitoring of food and biscuits in each of the districts and upazilas of the project.
Cooked food will only be provided in schools that will build kitchens and provide cooking utensils socially. The project does not mention how many schools will be able to do so.
The Planning Commission has given some instructions on the project. Under the project, Taka 85 million have been requested for some items and Taka 2 crore for furniture. In addition, 35 million taka have been requested to purchase a jeep and six minibuses under the project. Tk 60 lakh has been requested for gasoline, oil and lubricants, Tk 20 lakh for vehicles and travel, especially Rs 1.5 million for vehicle repairs. The Planning Commission has ordered the rationalization of the expense proposal.
Tk 16,165.63 million have been requested for the purchase of food, Tk 1,618.56 million for the food distribution fee and Tk 190.06 million for the contingency awards sector. 113 crore 54 lakh has been requested for the purchase of plates under the project. However, the DPE did not specify the number of plates to be purchased. It is not clear, based on information in the DPP, that spending in these sectors has been determined by the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission wanted to know the details, including the rationale for this problem.
Bangladesh Time: 6.30pm, September 18, 2020
MIS / AJ
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