In a bid to enable the poor to absorb the shock of the Covid-19 impact, Tk 955.74 billion has been allocated for the social security sector which is 16.83 per cent of the total budget and 3.01 per cent of GDP in fiscal year 2020-21.
In the revised budget of FY2019-20, the allocation was Tk 818.65 billion.
"We are also implementing various programmes for the welfare of the marginalised communities besides helping the people with disabilities," Finance Minister AHM Mostafa Kamal said in his budget speech on Thursday.
As the government enforced general holidays, lockdowns, closure of factories and businesses to prevent the spread of coronavirus infections, income of the common people has reduced, which now threatens our achievements in poverty alleviation and social security.
In order to save the livelihoods of the poor from the impact of Covid-led income shortfall, the government has taken an initiative to make direct cash transfers to five million people in the current fiscal year to alleviate the sufferings of the poor working people.
In the next fiscal, the finance minister proposed increasing the coverage of the social security programmes in several areas.
According to his proposal, poor senior citizens in 100 upazilas most prone to poverty due to the coronavirus outbreak will be brought under the old-age allowance as per the existing policy.
This will add 0.5 million new beneficiaries, and an additional allocation of Tk 3 billion will be provided to this programme.
All widows and women deserted by their husbands in 100 upazilas most prone to poverty due to the coronavirus outbreak will be brought under the coverage of the allowance programme as per the existing policy.
This will add 0.35 million new beneficiaries, and an additional allocation of Tk 2.10 billion will be provided to this programme.
The number of beneficiaries of the allowance for insolvent persons with disabilities will be increased to 1.8 million following the latest disability identification survey.
This will add 0.25 new beneficiaries, and an additional allocation of Tk 2.29 billion will be required for this purpose.
Other safety net programmes like Working Lactating Mothers' Assistance Programme, the VGD activities, the Freedom Fighters Honorarium, the Employment Opportunity for the Extreme Poor, the Special Allowance for Improving the Living Standards of Gypsies and Disadvantaged Communities, the Education Stipend and Training for Gypsies and Disadvantaged Communities, the Assistance for Cancer, Kidney and Liver Cirrhosis Patients, the Living Standard Improvement Program for Tea Garden Workers, etc. will continue, the finance minister said.
The minister noted that with this incentive, the government will be able to revitalise the rural economy by creating vitality and enthusiasm.
He also proposed allocating Tk 1 billion in FY 2020-21 for the 'Rural Social Services Programme' to keep the rural economy moving in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and create self-employment opportunities for the poor and helpless people in rural areas.
He said in the light of the National Social Security Strategy Paper 2015, various social security programmes will be implemented to alleviate the plight of the poor and helpless people from the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
"We have been increasing the allocation in the social security sector every year to improve the condition of the poor."
By now, about one-fourth of the families in the country have been brought under the social security programme.
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