Safety net to get boost in budget

The government will give massive increases in budgetary allocation for safety net, employment and food security, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said yesterday while unveiling some salient features of the next national budget.He said the 100-day employment generation programme, designed for helping the jobless poor during lean period, would also be restructured with an increased allocation. "We will have to increase allocation massively in these three areas as we are committed as per our election manifesto," he told reporters after a meeting of the cabinet committee on social safety net programme at the finance ministry.Replying to a question, the finance minister said, "The preparation of budget is almost done but few areas still remained to be completed." "In few cases, it has been delayed intentionally," he said, adding that the budget document will be sent for printing by the end of this month.Replying to another question, he reaffirmed his stance on doing away with tax holiday, notwithstanding criticisms. "In my opinion, tax holiday facility should not be continued. Now the cabinet is to decide."The finance minister also said that he intentionally exposed some of the possible budgetary measures to get reaction from different quarters.State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Capt (retd) ABM Tajul Islam,Minister for Social Welfare Enamul Haq Mostafa Shaheed and secretaries of finance, social welfare and liberation war and women affairs were present at the meeting.