The government is providing a monthly allowance to five crore people for poverty alleviation and building a hunger and poverty-free country by costing Tk 57,223 crore per year.
Currently, 22 cash assistances are being given through Government to Person (G2P) system out of a total of 25 programs. The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, the Ministry of Food, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, and other departments besides the Ministry of Social Welfare are providing allowances and food through various programs.
According to the government data, currently, 54 lakh 1 thousand people are given Tk 500 monthly old age allowance which has increased to Tk 600 in the next fiscal year. At the same time, the number of beneficiaries increased by one lakh more. A total of 24 lakh 75 thousand women are getting Tk 500 monthly government widow and destitute women allowance through mobile banking. From the 2023-24 fiscal, widow and destitute women allowance has been increased to Tk 550 and the number of beneficiaries has been increased by one lakh more.
The government is giving Tk 850 monthly allowance to 23 lakh 65 thousand financially insolvent disabled persons. From the next financial year, the number will total 5 lakh 35 thousand.
At present, one lakh students are getting a stipend for disability. The monthly stipend amount of a disabled student is Tk 750 at the primary level, Tk 800 at the secondary level, Tk 900 at the higher secondary level, and Tk 1,300 at the higher education level. The stipend amount will be Tk 900, Tk 950, and Tk 950 at primary, secondary and higher secondary levels respectively from the next fiscal.
A total of 4,815 transgender people are given Tk 600 monthly allowance and the number will be 6,880 in the next financial year while 5,066 gypsy people are given Tk 600 monthly allowance. Besides, the beneficiaries’ number of marginal people increased to 82,503 from 69,573.
Maternity allowance programs for the rural poor and lactating allowance for the urban women have been integrated and the government has introduced a new program named ‘Mother and Child Assistance Program’. Currently, 12 lakh 54 thousand women are getting Tk 800 monthly allowance under the program. The government has allotted Tk 46 crore 31 lakhs in the ‘Mother and Child Assistance Program’ in the current fiscal. Besides, 45,250 marginalized people have been brought under a program at the same amount of allowance. Each tea worker is getting Tk 5,000 yearly and the number of beneficiaries is 60,000.
The government is spending Tk 3,500 for each child at Sheikh Russell Child Training and Rehabilitation Center and providing Tk 2,000 for each orphan at private organisations. Patients infected with several diseases are getting Tk 50,000 for treatment.
A total of 2 lakh 1 thousand 593 freedom fighters are getting a monthly honorarium of Tk 20,000 which was Tk 12,000. Besides they are getting two festival allowances, the ‘Victory Day’ allowance and the Baishakhi allowance.
Besides, the families of martyred war heroes, war-wounded war heroes, the families of Bir Sreshtha, Bir Bikram, Bir Uttam and Bir Pratik, are receiving Tk 25,000 to 45,000 monthly allowances.
One crore 28 lakh 47 thousand retired government employees are also getting an allowance. Three crores 62 lakh 97 thousand people are given cash and food through various programs including VGF, OMS, TR, Food For Work (FFW), and VWB.
Currently 24 ministries are operating these activities through 123 social safety net programs.
Contacted, Social Welfare Secretary Md Jahangir Alam told Bangladesh Pratidin that the daughter of Bangabandhu has introduced various allowances for the marginalized and destitute people of the country. “Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman introduced the ‘Safety Net Program’ for the poor. His daughter is continuing the job” he added.
@ The article was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on June 25, 2023 and has been rewritten in English by Golam Rosul.
