Dhaka – The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of the ‘National Agriculture Policy 2013’ with the focus on agriculture production, alleviating poverty through generating jobs and highlighting food security.The approval was given at the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at Parliament with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said there have been changes in the local and international perspectives after the formulation of the existing Agriculture Policy 1999.
“So, there was a need to update the policy, and the ministry concerned held review meetings with different stakeholders and took opinions from various ministries for the update,” he added.
Musharraf Hossain said the Ministry of Agriculture usually deals with the crop sector, but agriculture is a multi-sectoral subject that also includes the participation of fisheries, livestock, forests and agro-processing sectors.
The Cabinet Secretary said the draft policy would prioritise agricultural production, generating employment and poverty alleviation and thus ensure food security.
Apart from production, agro-processing, marketing, agricultural equipment, irrigation, seeds, fertilizer and mechanisation, the role of women in agriculture and financing would also get priority in the draft National Agriculture Policy.
The meeting also approved in principle the draft of the ‘Investment Corporation, Bangladesh (ICB) Bill, 2013’ making some observations.
Under the proposed law, some new terms have been defined, including securities, financial statements, Deputy Managing Director, General Manager, converting the face value of its shares to Tk 10 from Tk 100.
Besides, some changes have been made in light with the Exchanges Demutualisation Law.
The Cabinet was also apprised about the participation of Bangladesh delegation, headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in the two-day 2nd Asia-Pacific Water Summit held at Chiang Mai in Thailand on May 19-20, 2013 and the participation of Bangladesh delegation at the 11th Ministerial meeting of Asia Cooperation Dialogue held at Tajikistan on March 29 this year.
Another report on the visit of Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu to India on April 10-13, 2013 was also placed before the Cabinet meeting.
Ministers, Advisers to the Prime Minister, State Ministers and Secretaries concerned attended the meeting.
(Source: UNB)
