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The Department of Primary Education (DPE) has proposed sending 1,000 government officials abroad to learn or gain experience in Khichuri cuisine. It is known that the initiative has been taken to send them abroad for training under the school feeding program. The department is trying to get approval from the Planning Commission. Business Standard reported this information in a report.
Going abroad to gain experience in various projects is nothing new for government officials. However, the initiative to send at least 1,000 government officials abroad to learn Khichuri cooking has sparked renewed debate. The justification for such a visit at the expense of the people has already been questioned.
According to sources from the DPE and the Planning Commission, during the visit, officials will have an idea of how to acquire goods from the market for such projects, the rules for cooking khichuri and how to distribute it. Officials from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, DPE, the Planning Commission and the Department of Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation will have the opportunity to visit in five years.
Ruhul Amin Khan, project manager and DPE officer, said: “It has been proposed to send 1,000 officials abroad in five years. Through this, they will be able to get ideas on how to cook khichuri and how it is distributed among students. Under this program, cooked food will be distributed to students across the country. He said that foreign training is needed for this.
It is known that DPE initially requested Rs 5 crore to travel abroad. In addition, a further Rs 10 million Tk has been sought for training in the country. The cost of the proposed cooked food distribution program has been estimated at Taka 19,273 million. Under this, around one crore 47 lakh students will receive nutritious biscuits and khichuri cooked for five years. Students from 509 upazilas will receive this meal.
However, the Planning Commission has said it will cancel the project’s overseas trips. In addition, the country also wants to know the rationale behind such training. The commission said the distribution of such foods in primary schools was not new. DPE has been implementing such programs for a long time.
However, Ruhul Amin Khan said that they visited some schools in India last year and witnessed how food is cooked there. He said he would like to give more officers the opportunity to gain that experience. However, it has not yet been decided which country they will travel to in the future. He said a decision would be made after the project is approved.
Meanwhile, the Planning Commission has identified some more unnecessary project costs. According to sources, the project has proposed spending Rs 7.5 crore for social cohesion and Rs 6 crore for consultants. He also opposed the purchase of an air conditioner with Tk 8 lakh and furniture with Tk 2 crore. DPE has requested another five crore rupees for meetings, seminars and workshops.
Under the project, it has been proposed to allocate Rs 16 017 crore Tk for the purchase of food. In addition, 16 million rupees were allocated for the supply of food and 113.54 million rupees for the purchase of dishes. The Planning Commission believes that it is possible to reduce this expense without evaluation.
DPE wants to spend Tk 3.5 crore to buy SUVs and six minibuses under the proposed project. He also demanded Rs 1.5 crore for car maintenance, Rs 60 lakh for fuel oil and lubricants, and Rs 20 lakh for travel. The Planning Commission has also sought a logical explanation for this transportation cost. Apart from this, DPE has requested another five crore rupees for inspection and evaluation.
In this regard, said the head of the department of socio-economic infrastructure of the Swapan Planning Commission Kumar Ghosh, there is no justification for foreign travel under this project. Furthermore, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered to stop all foreign visits now. She also said that the project will be approved after reviewing everything.
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