Government plans to spend $37.5 billion by 2030 under the 'Delta Plan 2100' on various projects to ensure food and water security, eliminate poverty and stop river erosion.
Planning Commission Member Shamsul Alam said this while speaking at a seminar at Jatiya Press Club in the city on Thursday.
Alam, also a Senior Secretary of the government, said, "If the plan can be implemented, we can eliminate poverty by 2027 from our country and we will reach to higher middle income country status by 2030 and developed country by 2041".
The seminar titled 'Delta Plan 2100- Implementation Challenge" was organised by 'Journalist for Development'.
"The plan will increase our GDP growth by 1.7 per cent and accelerate our production system" said Samsul Alam.
He said Delta Plan gives priority to six areas - coastal, varendra (Barind) and drought-prone zone, haor and flood-prone zone, Chittagong Hill Tracts, riverine and urban areas, reports UNB.
Institutionally the Water Development Board is too weak, said Professor Emeritus of BRAC University Ainun Nishat adding that the "Delta Plan can be a solution if we can implement it."
Information Ministry Secretary Abdul Alam, BUET Professor Umme Kulsum Navera, Earth and Environmental Science Faculty Dean of Dhaka University Dr ASM Maksud Kamal, 'Journalist for Development' Convener Abul Kalam Azad also spoke at the programme.