The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has sought a budget allocation of Tk 79.43 billion for the next fiscal year to implement a range of social programmes, which is 1.55 per cent higher than the current amount.
The programmes include food for work (KABIKHA), test relief (TR), humanitarian aid under Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) and General Relief (GR), and Employment Generation Programme for the Poorest (EGPP).
However, to avoid duplication across programmes and with other ministries, as well as considering the overlap in objectives, beneficiaries, and types of work, the finance ministry has proposed providing direct cash assistance of at least Tk 2,500 per month to each family instead of smaller, fragmented aid.
According to the Finance Division, with Tk 79.43 billion, it would be possible to provide an annual assistance of Tk 30,000 per family to 2.65 million units.
These issues were discussed during a tripartite meeting under the medium-term budget framework for the disaster management ministry, focusing on the budget projection for FY27 and the next two fiscal years.
The meeting was chaired by Finance Secretary Dr Md Khairuzzaman Majumder, and the minutes were issued last week as official record notes.
The meeting emphasised that the ministry should prepare and implement emergency programmes covering the first 180 days of the new government, ensuring that these activities are aligned with the BNP's election manifesto.
Earlier, the BNP, in its national election manifesto, pledged to introduce a family card for five million households to provide monthly cash support of Tk 2,500 to each.
The new government recently rolled out the family card programme on a pilot basis.
Economist and former Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) director general Dr Mustafa K Mujeri said despite large allocations for small and project-based social safety net programmes under the ministry, funds often fail to reach genuinely needy families due to the lack of a quality data repository.
He noted that politically influential individuals and their relatives frequently receive these benefits, leaving the actual poor deprived of the programmes' intended support.
Dr Mujeri suggested that channelling such expenditures as direct cash transfers through a well-managed system would increase public benefit.
He also stressed that separate allocations should be maintained for natural disaster relief.
A detailed review by the Finance Division shows that over the past few years, a large portion of the ministry's budget was spent on these special programmes.
The review also noted significant overlap in programme objectives, beneficiary selection, and types of work.
Many families receive benefits under multiple projects, while many genuinely needy households remain excluded.
As a result, the efficiency of spending is reduced, and the actual poor are not fully benefited.
The Finance Division has recommended that while maintaining the current allocations, the method of fund utilisation be revised.
Under the proposal, the planned expenditure of Tk 79.43 billion for TR, KABIKHA, humanitarian aid, and EGPP in FY27 would instead be distributed as direct cash assistance.
Each selected family would receive Tk 2,500 per month, amounting to Tk 30,000 per year, covering approximately 2.647 million units. This approach ensures that the same budget is distributed in a more organised, transparent, and targeted manner, reducing administrative complexities and guaranteeing direct financial support to beneficiaries.
The tripartite meeting also highlighted that nearly three-quarters of the ministry's total budget is currently spent on these special programmes. However, fragmentation into small projects has limited the visibility of outcomes.
Consolidating the programmes into a single, large, and result-oriented social safety scheme is considered essential.
Coordination gaps among ministries in social safety programmes were also identified as a major concern.
Similar assistance provided by multiple ministries creates duplication. The family card initiative, by enabling beneficiary selection through a central database, is expected to help reduce such duplication.
An overall analysis of the budget framework shows the total budget ceiling for the disaster management ministry in FY27 is set at Tk 105.54 billion, including Tk 57.40 billion for operational expenses and Tk 48.10 billion for development expenditure. The operational-to-development expenditure ratio of 55:45 indicates relatively higher operational costs.
However, completely eliminating food grain distribution under the KABIKHA programme is not recommended as it plays a key role in maintaining market price stability.
A balanced approach of cash and food support has been advised.
Officials said the government had issued family cards to 37,567 female-headed households, each receiving monthly cash assistance of Tk 2,500 under the pilot scheme.
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