Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the present government has already stepped up its initiatives to formulate the 7th Five-Year Plan, which would be put into implementation after the end of the 6th Five-Year Plan next year.
Besides, the government is preparing a National Social Protection Strategy considering the necessity of a policy for the welfare of the ultra poor, she told the House in reply to a question from treasury bench member Enamul Haq during the PM's question-answer session.
Sheikh Hasina said the 7th Five-Year Plan would carry forward the development programmes of the present government by ensuring the economic stability in the country.
The National Social Protection Strategy will include the social safety net programmes, different social insurance programmes, labour market policies and self-employment programmes, she said.
The prime minister said the present government in light of its election manifesto would shape up its Vision-2021 into a long-term perspective plan up to 2041 to make Bangladesh a peaceful, prosperous, happy and developed country.
Highlighting her government's long-term economic goals, she said the plans include graduating Bangladesh as a developed country by 2041, reducing the number of ultra poor to 13 percent, ensuring minimum 2,122 kilo-calorie food for each citizen and nutritious food for at least 85 percent people by 2021.
In addition, she said her government has set a goal to raise the contribution of industries to 40 percent from 25 percent in the national growth and increase power production to 24,000 MW from 10,000 MW by 2021.
The size of the annual budget will be 25 percent of the total GDP by 2021, which is now 18.7 percent, she said adding that the revenue income will be 20 percent of the GDP by 2021 compared to the current 14.1 percent, according to reports.
Replying to a supplementary question from Jatiya Party member Rustam Ali Farazi, the Prime Minister said her government has already proved its sincerity and efficacy in containing corruption and terrorism side by side with checking bureaucratic tangles to carry forward the development programmes.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has projected Bangladesh as a role model of development, rescuing the country from a terrible situation left by the BNP- Jamaat and the subsequent caretaker government.
So, the present government would also be able in future to implement all development programmes by overcoming all odds and challenges, she added.
BBN/SSR/AD-05Mar14-10:20 pm (BST)