More schools under MPO in next budget: Muhith

FT ONLINE

The government would look to allocate more money in the upcoming budget for bringing more schools under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) system, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said Wednesday.

"The parliamentarians are strongly lobbying for bringing more schools under the MPO," he said after a pre-budget Meeting with the Chairmen of the Parliamentary Standing Committees in the city.

"Currently, there are around 26,000 schools which come under the MPO system while 9,000 remained beyond the system," the finance minister said, at a time when there has also been agitation from the non-MPO staff members.

"We would see how we can gradually bring these schools under the MPO," Mr Muhith said, hinting that around 1,000 schools might be considered for MPO in the next fiscal.

Parliamentarians during the meeting also asked the finance minister to set up more bank branches across the country.

"We have all agreed that there is need for more bank branches in every corner of the country," the finance minister said.