Proposal to send one thousand officials abroad to learn khichuri cooking!
14 Sep, 2020
Going abroad to gain experience in various projects is nothing new for government officials. However, sometimes their initiative to go abroad for different reasons comes up for discussion. This time, the initiative to send at least one thousand government officials abroad to learn khichuri cooking has given rise to renewed discussions.
It is learned that the Department of Primary Education (DPE) has proposed to send one thousand government officials abroad to learn or gain experience in khichuri cooking. The department is trying to get its approval from the Planning Commission. It is learned that steps have been taken to send them abroad for training under the school feeding program. The rationale for such a visit at the expense of the people has already been questioned.
The Business Standard reported this information in a report. According to DPE and Planning Commission sources, during the visit, officials will get an idea of how to procure goods from the market for such projects, rules for cooking khichuri and how to distribute it. Officials from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, DPE, Planning Commission and the Department of Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation will have the opportunity to visit within five years.
Ruhul Amin Khan, director of the project and DPE officer, said, “It has been proposed to send 1,000 officials abroad in five years. Through this they will be able to get ideas on how to cook khichuri and how it is distributed among the students. Under this program, cooked food will be distributed among students across the country. He said that foreign training is needed for this.
It is learned that DPE initially asked for Tk 5 crore for travel abroad. Besides, another Tk 10 crore has been sought for training in the country. The cost of the proposed cooked food distribution program has been estimated at Tk 19,273 crore. Under this, about one crore 46 lakh students will be given nutritious biscuits and cooked khichuri for five years. Students of 509 upazilas will get this food. However, the Planning Commission has said it will cancel foreign trips from the project. Besides, what is the rationale for such training in the country? The commission said the distribution of such food in primary schools was not new. DPE has been implementing such programs for a long time.However, Ruhul Amin Khan said that they visited several schools in India last year and witnessed how food is cooked there. He said he would like to give more officers the opportunity to gain such experience. However, it has not yet been decided which country they will travel to in the future. He said a decision would be taken after the project is passed.
Meanwhile, the Planning Commission has identified some more unnecessary costs of the project. According to sources, the project has proposed to spend Rs 7.5 crore for social cohesion and Tk 6 crore for consultants. He also objected to the purchase of an AC with Tk 8 lakh and furniture with Tk 2 crore. DPE has asked for another five crore taka for meetings, seminars and workshops.
Under the project, it has been proposed to allocate Tk 16,017 crore for the purchase of food. Besides, Tk 16 crore has been allocated for food supply and Tk 113.54 crore for purchase of plates. The Planning Commission thinks that it is possible to reduce this expenditure without assessment.
DPE wants to spend Tk 3.5 crore to buy SUVs and six microbuses under the proposed project. He also demanded Rs 1.5 crore for car maintenance, Rs 60 lakh for fuel oil and lubricants and Tk 20 lakh for travel. The Planning Commission has also sought a logical explanation for this cost of transportation. Apart from this, DPE has asked for another five crore taka for inspection and evaluation.
In this regard, Swapan Kumar Ghosh, head of the socio-economic infrastructure department of the Planning Commission, said there is no rationale for traveling abroad under this project. Besides, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed to stop all foreign visits now. He also said that the project will be approved after checking everything. It may be mentioned that under the school feeding program, biscuits weighing 75 grams are being distributed in the poor affected areas of 104 upazilas. The project worth Tk 50 crore in 2010 will be completed in December this year. Besides, in the light of the decision of 2019, about four lakh students are being given egg khichuri.
Going abroad to gain experience in various projects is nothing new for government officials. However, sometimes their initiative to go abroad for different reasons comes up for discussion. This time, the initiative to send at least one thousand government officials abroad to learn khichuri cooking has given rise to renewed discussions.
It is learned that the Department of Primary Education (DPE) has proposed to send one thousand government officials abroad to learn or gain experience in khichuri cooking. The department is trying to get its approval from the Planning Commission. It is learned that steps have been taken to send them abroad for training under the school feeding program. The rationale for such a visit at the expense of the people has already been questioned.
The Business Standard reported this information in a report. According to DPE and Planning Commission sources, during the visit, officials will get an idea of how to procure goods from the market for such projects, rules for cooking khichuri and how to distribute it. Officials from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, DPE, Planning Commission and the Department of Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation will have the opportunity to visit within five years.
Ruhul Amin Khan, director of the project and DPE officer, said, “It has been proposed to send 1,000 officials abroad in five years. Through this they will be able to get ideas on how to cook khichuri and how it is distributed among the students. Under this program, cooked food will be distributed among students across the country. He said that foreign training is needed for this.
It is learned that DPE initially asked for Tk 5 crore for travel abroad. Besides, another Tk 10 crore has been sought for training in the country. The cost of the proposed cooked food distribution program has been estimated at Tk 19,273 crore. Under this, about one crore 46 lakh students will be given nutritious biscuits and cooked khichuri for five years. Students of 509 upazilas will get this food. However, the Planning Commission has said it will cancel foreign trips from the project. Besides, what is the rationale for such training in the country? The commission said the distribution of such food in primary schools was not new. DPE has been implementing such programs for a long time.However, Ruhul Amin Khan said that they visited several schools in India last year and witnessed how food is cooked there. He said he would like to give more officers the opportunity to gain such experience. However, it has not yet been decided which country they will travel to in the future. He said a decision would be taken after the project is passed.
Meanwhile, the Planning Commission has identified some more unnecessary costs of the project. According to sources, the project has proposed to spend Rs 7.5 crore for social cohesion and Tk 6 crore for consultants. He also objected to the purchase of an AC with Tk 8 lakh and furniture with Tk 2 crore. DPE has asked for another five crore taka for meetings, seminars and workshops.
Under the project, it has been proposed to allocate Tk 16,017 crore for the purchase of food. Besides, Tk 16 crore has been allocated for food supply and Tk 113.54 crore for purchase of plates. The Planning Commission thinks that it is possible to reduce this expenditure without assessment.
DPE wants to spend Tk 3.5 crore to buy SUVs and six microbuses under the proposed project. He also demanded Rs 1.5 crore for car maintenance, Rs 60 lakh for fuel oil and lubricants and Tk 20 lakh for travel. The Planning Commission has also sought a logical explanation for this cost of transportation. Apart from this, DPE has asked for another five crore taka for inspection and evaluation.
In this regard, Swapan Kumar Ghosh, head of the socio-economic infrastructure department of the Planning Commission, said there is no rationale for traveling abroad under this project. Besides, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed to stop all foreign visits now. He also said that the project will be approved after checking everything. It may be mentioned that under the school feeding program, biscuits weighing 75 grams are being distributed in the poor affected areas of 104 upazilas. The project worth Tk 50 crore in 2010 will be completed in December this year. Besides, in the light of the decision of 2019, about four lakh students are being given egg khichuri.
বিডিটুডে.নেট:খিচুড়ি রান্না শিখতে এক হাজার কর্মকর্তাকে বিদেশ পাঠানোর প্রস্তাব!
বিভিন্ন প্রকল্পের অভিজ্ঞতা অর্জনে বিদেশে যাওয়া সরকারি কর্মকর্তাদের জন্য নতুন কিছু নয়। তবে মাঝেমধ্যেই ভিন্নধর্মী কিছু কারণে তাদের বিদেশ যাওয়ার উদ্যোগ আলোচনায় আসে। এবার সরকারি অন্তত এক হ
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