Government and Rural Transformation : Role of Public Spending and Policies in Bangladesh

Contents: Glossary. Acknowledgements. Preface. 1. Introduction and overview. 2. Role of government and the public sector. 3. National strategies for rural prosperity. 4. Size of the government, financing options and public expenditure. 5. Public expenditure in agriculture and rural development. 6. Efficiency and impact of public expenditure on rural growth and poverty. 7. Institutions, rural credit and input subsidies. 8. Free market and public intervention for food security. 9. Monitoring and evaluation of public interventions. 10. Summary of the past and vision for the future for greater rural prosperity. References. Index.
"The book depicts an analytical picture of the socio economic transformation of the economy of Bangladesh, particularly of the agriculture and rural sector. Transformation is explained as improved conditions of life and living, through expanded access to income, health education, energy, transportation services and protection against vulnerability. Public expenditure and policies to support development of infrastructure, technology, institutions, private initiatives of collective organisations, including NGOs, and numerous individual ventures contributed to the transformation. While a large number of causal factors underlying the transformation are recognised, it is the synergy of all factors that constitutes the basic source of success. This synergy reinforces impacts of one another and induces growth of new innovative activities.

The past twenty five years provide the canvas for the depiction of transformation presented in the book. Based on lessons of the past and the emerging global scene, and of rural economy of Bangladesh--a vision for the future two decades of economic development is portrayed. Challenges to the realisation of the vision are underlined and an agenda of public actions to be taken is outlined. In an extremely dynamic world, Bangladesh has to remain constantly alert to changing events in domestic, regional and global contexts. Development of internal capacities for analysis, design and implementation of socio-economic programmes is thus a crucial requirement.

The book is destined to become an essential handbook on agricultural economy of Bangladesh."