PM explains ‘I Have a Plan’

Explaining the ‘I Have a Plan’ quote in Parliament, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said that the government’s goal is to build a self-reliant, climate-resilient, technology-driven and farmer-centric modern agricultural system.

The Prime Minister said that production and marketing will be information-based, marginal farmers will be empowered entrepreneurs and the agriculture sector will be one of the main drivers of national prosperity.

The Prime Minister said this in response to a written question during the Question and Answer session on the ninth day of the second and first budget sessions of the 13th Parliament on Wednesday. However, as he was out of Dhaka on state business, his answer was tabled in Parliament.

Sirajganj-1 MP Md. Selim Reza wanted to know what kind of steps will be taken under the ‘I Have a Plan’ programme to increase agricultural production and improve the living standards of farmers and whether it will be able to bring about a new revolution in agriculture or not.

In response, the Prime Minister said that the Farmers Card programme was launched on April 14 to ensure subsidies, incentives, low-cost irrigation facilities and agricultural machinery for farmers. Initially, this programme is being implemented in 11 upazilas of 10 districts of the country. So far, 20,832 cards have been distributed.

He said that agricultural loans up to Tk 10,000 have been waived in the crops, crops, animal husbandry and fisheries sectors. For this, Tk 1,567.96 crore has been allocated in the current fiscal year, through which about 1,317,500 farmers will benefit.

The Prime Minister also said that initiatives have been taken to dig and re-dug 20,000 kilometers of canals across the country. As a result, pressure on groundwater will be reduced, irrigation facilities will increase, waterlogging will be reduced and rural employment will be created. In addition, urea, DAP, TSP and MOP fertilizers are being delivered to farmers at affordable prices and supply of high-yielding and climate-tolerant seeds has been ensured.

He also highlighted plans to increase the use of modern technology in agriculture. He said that short, medium and long-term action plans are being taken to use sensors, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) and drone technology. In addition, initiatives have been taken to directly collect paddy and wheat from farmers and establish farmers' markets nationwide to ensure fair prices for agricultural products.

In response to another question, the Prime Minister highlighted the government's various plans to combat the effects of climate change. He said that Bangladesh is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Due to climate change, the intensity of problems such as floods, river erosion, drought, heavy rains, heat waves and salinity is increasing, which is having a negative impact on the economy, agriculture and people's lives.

He said that the government's priority projects include the Padma Barrage, Teesta Master Plan, prevention of river erosion, flood control and reduction of salinity in coastal areas. The first phase of the Padma Barrage project was approved on May 13 at a cost of about Tk 34,347 crore.

The Prime Minister said that if the project is implemented, the flow of water in the Padma River will increase during the dry season, salinity will decrease in the southern region, the ecological balance of the Sundarbans will be protected, irrigation facilities will increase and water security will be strengthened. At the same time, 113 MW of hydroelectric power generation and additional growth opportunities will be created in the national economy.

Other initiatives of the government to combat climate change include planting 250 million saplings in the next five years, organizing tree fairs across the country and building natural reservoirs to store rainwater in coastal areas. In addition, various research, innovation and training-based programs are also being implemented, the Prime Minister said.