, April 29 -- Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday told Parliament that the government's planned Family Card and Farmers' Card programmes will not increase inflation or create undue pressure on the national budget.

Instead, he said, the initiatives will boost employment, strengthen the rural economy and support local industries.

Replying to a supplementary question from National Citizen Party MP Abul Hasnat (Hasnat Abdullah, Cumilla-4) during the parliamentary session, Tarique said the government will gradually bring four crore families under the Family Card programme and 2.75 crore farmers under the Farmers' Card scheme.

"No government in the world can implement such a massive programme all at once," he said.

The Prime Minister...