The project has drawn widespread criticism and the Public Expenditure Review Commission (Perc) has said "this project is an unwarranted wastage of government resources and has manifested as a prime example of being irrelevant to the real needs".

The General Economic Division (GED) of Planning Commission finalised the project for implementing the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).

Titled 'Preparation of PRSP and Implementation of IPRSP and Millennium Development Goal Action Plan', it has an outlay of Tk 1.64 crore for consultants plus an additional Tk 64 lakh for foreign consultants, Tk 2.14 crore for cars, Tk 1.80 crore for air-conditioners, Tk 3 crore for training and international education tours and Tk 5 crore for workshops, seminars and meeting.

The government has been implementing the three-year interim poverty reduction strategy paper (IPRSP) from July for speedy poverty alleviation. On the other hand, the government plans to frame the final PRSP by December 2004. This will help the government get loans from donors.

"But we believe the conventional structure of the government will not help eradicate poverty," said a Perc member.

The Perc in its latest report maintains that there are already four similar technical projects being implemented by the Planning Commission at a cost of Tk 50.22 crore of which Tk 20.36 crore has already been spent. The budget for the projects in the current fiscal is Tk 4.87 crore.

"Undertaking several technical projects for the same purpose creates unwanted duplication and wastage of public funds," a Perc member observed. "When the Planning Commission already has a huge number of computers, cars and air-conditioners under the existing projects, what could be the justification for buying more under another project?"

In addition, the technical project prescribes a structure for implementation of the PRSP that is altogether different from the possible structure. The structure also did not follow the one suggested in the IPRSP.

Moreover, it has suggested that one person -- a member of the GED -- will head all the three committees, which the Perc feels will create imbalance and make the committees non-transparent.