It is good to note that the proposed budget for power and energy sector has been increased once again considering power generation as the bedrock of the country’s development. The highest priority in budget allocation for the ministry of power, energy and mineral resources (MPEMR) is evident in the size of the proposed budget. Reportedly the size of the proposed annual development programme (ADP) of the ministry is TK 29,665 crore, up from the previous fiscal’s allocation of TK 29,575 crore.
The country has witnessed a massive development in power sector over the past decade. Gone were the days when round the clock power supply was more of a distant-dream to us and six to eight hours of load-shedding during summer was a regular phenomenon in most of the towns of Bangladesh. Thousands of villages did not have access to electricity. But now, almost every family in the village has a smart phone.
The efforts of the
government to improve
country’s power sector set an
example for our future leaders
One can see children studying under the electric light, villagers watching satellite television channels. This is how electricity has been reshaping thousands of villages as well as the villagers with the pillars of education and development. The government has integrated a noble vision to ensure reliable electricity to all at an affordable price by the year 2021. As a part of ‘Vision 2021’ the government is working to provide power to remote shoals and islands.
The country’s power sector has recently achieved a milestone by providing electricity to Sandwip through submarine cable. But still the government cannot ensure uninterrupted power supply in rural areas because of poor conditions of transmission and distribution cables. For replacing the cables, the transmission and distribution lines will also get additional fund as the government has a plan to ensure uninterrupted power supply to all by next fiscal year, which was one of the highest allocation for power generation during the last few years.
We appreciate the efforts of the government to supply electricity to every corner of the country. The efforts of the government to improve country’s power sector set an example for our future leaders. In order to make the country self-reliant in power generation, it will be important to keep the pace of development in power sector alive. And the increased budget for the power and energy sector has created an optimistic ground in this regard.