50m people benefit from social safety net

In an effort towards a more inclusive development of the economy, various social safety net programmes are providing support to over 50 million people across the country.  

These schemes, run by the ministries of social welfare, liberation affairs, food, disaster, and other government departments, have an annual budget of Tk 572.23 billion, spread across 25 different programmes.

The beneficiaries of 22 out of the 25 schemes receive allowances directly under the government-to-people (G2P) initiative.

Approximately 5.7 million elderly citizens are currently receiving a monthly allowance of Tk 500, which will increase to Tk 600 from July. The number of beneficiaries is also set to rise by 100,000 in the next fiscal year.

Around 2.47 million widows and victims of violence are receiving Tk 500 per month via mobile banking. This allowance will be increased to Tk 550 next fiscal year, with an additional 100,000 individuals set to join the existing beneficiaries.

The government is also catering to approximately 2.36 million differently-abled individuals who receive a monthly allowance of Tk 850.

This number is set to rise to 2.9 million next fiscal year. An additional 100,000 students with disabilities receive scholarships as part of these social safety net programmes. The allowances for these students will see an increase in the coming fiscal year, with Tk 900 for primary students, and Tk 950 for secondary and higher secondary level students.

Transgender communities and members of the gypsy community have not been left out of these schemes. The former's beneficiary numbers will rise to 6,880 in the next fiscal year with a consistent allowance of Tk 600.

Members of the gypsy community, numbering around 5,066, also receive Tk 600 per month. The number of beneficiaries from backward communities will be increased to 69,573 from the next fiscal year.

In terms of maternity support, approximately 1.2 million pregnant women receive Tk 800 allowance per month in both urban and rural areas. The government has earmarked Tk 12.43 billion for this cause. Some 60,000 tea-garden workers receive a monthly allowance of Tk 5000.

For the rehabilitation of addicted or derailed children and juveniles, the Sheikh Russell Training and Rehabilitation Centre has allocated Tk 3,500 per month. Orphans receive Tk 2,000 per month as a capitation grant. To aid patients with high-cost diseases such as cancer, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, heart disease, and Thalassaemia, the government provides a Tk 50,000 grant.

Moreover, approximately 20.15 thousand freedom fighters receive a monthly allowance of Tk 20,000, with a total allocation of Tk 46.53 billion. Over the past few years, this allowance has increased from Tk 12,000.

Apart from the general freedom fighters, some 13,000 ranked warriors, families of wounded freedom fighters are getting monthly medical allowance.

In addition to this, government employees receive retirement benefits from the social safety net programme, with over 12.8 million beneficiaries. Around 36.29 million underprivileged individuals receive food support under 11 government programmes. The total beneficiary count, including cash and food support, is 49.1 million.

The Secretary of Social Welfare, Jahangir Alam, lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for expanding the coverage of the social safety net to improve the livelihood of marginalized communities.

He praised the Prime Minister's commitment to completing the unfinished work of her father, the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who had originally launched the social safety net programmes.

As it stands, 18 million individuals benefit from the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF), around 6.25 million from the food-friendly programme, around 3.7 million from the OMS, and around 108,000 from the food for work programme.

Some 24 ministries and departments are engaged in implementing 123 schemes as part of the social safety net programme.