Masses fail to reap budget benefits for graft: Analysts
Speakers at a discussion yesterday said the masses are not benefiting from the national budget due to non-implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for mismanagement and corruption.
They expressed dissatisfaction at the way the government keeps on accepting more foreign loans and decreases subsidies in the national budget every year as it forces living costs to rise.
The “Pre-Budget Discussion 2012-13” on “the necessity to reflect people's demands on ensuring their rights over essential commodities” was organised by Shushashoner Jonno Procharabhijan (Supro) at Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital, moderated by Supro General Secretary MA Quader.
The masses are being deprived of the budget's benefits due to corruption and mismanagement, said Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar.
Moreover, the budget is not decentralised, meaning the local governments can not spend it as per their requirements, he added.
“The benefit of the masses will be ensured if transparency and accountability is attained through decentralisation of the budget,” he said.
Badiul also criticised the proposal to reduce corporation tax, stating that income disparity is on the rise despite the economy's gradual growth.
Former state minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Abdul Mannan said the government could not serve people because it has to spend a major portion of the budget in paying out interests of foreign loans.
He suggested the government to come out of this practice, bring all eligible incomes under the tax net and increase the budgetary allocation in agriculture, education and health sectors.
Awami League lawmaker Golam Faruk Khandaker Prince said, “Management is a big problem. We are all involved in some form of corruption. What is the use in blaming the government?”
He also expressed his concern over the presence of such a low number of taxpayers in the country.
Another ruling party lawmaker, Al-Hajj MA Jabbar said farmers are being deprived of the just prices of crops and not benefiting from the insufficient number of government projects.
Deputy Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad Colonel (retd) Shawkat Ali, addressing as the chief guest, said since the masses want the government to respond to their necessities and expectations, the budget should comprise contemporary issues.
Supro placed some demands at the discussion, including the government's steps to implement the previously declared district-wise budget and allocation of 20 percent of the budget in education and 10 percent in health.
They also suggested increasing agricultural subsidy, participation of lawmakers, civil society members and the masses in the budget's formulation and the budget's income sources and reducing government's dependence on private firms for energy production.
Moreover, they urged the formation of a high profile committee to monitor the ADP and a gender responsive budget and transparency in climate fund spendings.
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