PM praises officials for understanding govt goals
UNB
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday appreciated the public servants for realising the ultimate goal of the government and working to take the country to the height it wants to see, reports UNB.
You have realised what we want, what the goals we want to achieve and the level we want to take the country. Being able to realise this and implement this is the main thing, she said.
The Prime Minister said this at a function in her office marking the signing of the Annual Performance Agreement (APA) of ministries and subordinate bodies 2018-19 fiscal at the International Conference Center (ICC) at her office. She said her government wants to advance the country fast. We want the country to be prosperous and developed getting free from corruption, militancy, terrorism and drugs. That is our ultimate goal, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the height Bangladesh has attained in the world arena has to be maintained in the coming days. We have to maintain that and we have to keep that in mind.
About the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she mentioned that like the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) these will also be achieved. We will surely be able to show our skill in implementing that and we are taking programmes keeping that in mind, Hasina said.
The Prime Minister said the APA makes the officials responsible up to the grassroots level which helps complete the development works in a specific timeframe and people will enjoy its benefits.
She thanked the secretaries for signing the Annual Performance Agreement soon after passing the budget in Parliament saying it will help implement the development projects in a faster way.**
Sheikh Hasina said Awami League is taking the country forward with a specific and well-thought out short- and long-term plans, given shape in consultation at different levels of the party for many years. The APA will help improve the efficiency and accountability of government offices and expedite the implementation of government policies and programmes under an intensive monitoring system, she hoped.
The APA is an internal mechanism of the civil administration from top to the grassroots level to ensure accountability of government officials aimed at evaluating their yearly performance and making them accountable to their responsibilities, she said. The government, for the fifth year, has signed the Annual Performance Agreement (APA) with the ministries and their subordinate bodies which also included division, district and upazila level government offices.
The APA is an essential record of understanding between a minister representing peoples mandate, and the secretary of a ministry/division responsible for implementing this mandate.
The APA seeks to address three basic questions: What is the ministrys main strategic objective for the year, what activities are proposed by it to achieve these strategic objectives and how would someone know at the end of the year the degree of progress made in implementing these activities. The senior secretaries and secretaries in charge of 51 ministries and divisions handed over copies of their respective Annual Performance Agreement to the Prime Minister.
Under the agreement, the ministries ascertain vision, mission and strategic goals in consistent with the development priorities of the government, undertake short- and long-term plans as per budgetary allocations.
Three ministries/divisions were awarded for their best performance for this year. These are Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division of Planning Ministry, Women and Children Affairs Ministry and Agriculture Ministry. Their rates of implementation are 99 percent, 98 percent and 97 percent respectively. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over the awards.
