4.e) Cost of the project


Regardless of all its success in recent years, the Academy has received an increasing number of critical comments in Pakistan as well as from abroad. Frequently critized is the cost of work. The scheme is said to be very expensive.

This is difficult to evaluate. While it is possible to add all the money the Academy received over the years, it is difficult to calculate other contributions. From 1960 to 1968, the financial support by the Pakistan Government added up to 2.37 million US dollar (the rupee is evaluated at $0.21), while the Ford Foundation supported the Academy with a grant of 1.93 million dollar. In addition. however, CARE, UNICEF, the Danish Government, the Japanese Government, the Peace Corps and other institutions supported the project by providing experts or equipment. To count the high salary paid to experts among the project costs is at least questionable. It is completely impossible to calculate all the investments made in the Thana by other institutions following the sug9estion of the Academy at a higher rate than in other areas. Besides, quite an amount of work was spent an research and experimentation and cannot be charged to the scheme itself.

In addition, it should be remembered that, from the very beginning, the Academy has considered rural development as a costly undertaking. A minimum investment is necessary to produce an impact. Projects for an extension of the Comilla approach to other Thanas are planned with the participation of the Academy at much lower costs because research and experimentation require no duplication. If the Rangunia Thana Central Cooperative Association Scheme near Chittagong is often quoted as a cheaper alternative, one can rightly say that Rangunia benefited from the experience and results of Comilla.