Hasina orders cut in budget for overseas grass-farming lessons

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered a cut in funds for overseas training of officials on farming nutritious grass for cattle in a project.

She also ordered officials not to needlessly lengthen the list of officials for the overseas trip while approving the project in Tuesday’s meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council, Planning Secretary Ashadul Islam said.

The Planning Commission tabled the project on the expansion of cultivation of advanced grass varieties and transfer of appropriate technology for development of animal nutrition to increase dairy production amid criticisms over plans to send 32 officials abroad for the training.

The estimated budget for the project is over Tk 1 billion, including Tk 1 million for the overseas training of each of the government officials.

Ashadul said the ECNEC discussed the media reports on the criticism of the plans to send the officials abroad for training.

Hasina said the project was “good and deserves encouragement”, according to the secretary.