Social safety net widened

FE Team | Published: June 08, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
The caretaker government has widened the social empowerment and social safety net programmes to bring the disadvantaged community including women, children, and the disabled into the mainstream development process.
Regarding creation of more job opportunities, it has extended the existing micro-credit programmes in order to help the marginalised poor suffering from geographical and natural constraints like 'monga' (near famine) and river erosion, Finance Adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam said Thursday in his budget speech.
To this effect, he proposed to allocate Tk 5.50 billion for employment generation in rural areas outside the ministry-based employment generation programmes in the next fiscal year.
He said a significant portion of the proposed allocation will be implemented by Palli Karma Shahayak Foundation (PKSF) through their associate NGOs (non-governmental organisations).
The total allocation against these credit programmes and funds including other rural employment generating programmes will stand at around 9.0 per cent of the total budget, he noted.
"I expect that this will create employment opportunities in rural economy equivalent to 3.0 man-months for 9.5 million families in the next fiscal year," Azizul said.
Besides, the government has introduced a pilot programme styled 'Maternity Allowance for the Poor Lactating Mothers' in order to reduce maternal and infant mortality, the adviser said.
He proposed an allocation of Tk 170 million for the programme in the budget for fiscal 2007-08.
The expecting poor mothers will get an allowance of Tk 300 per month, he mentioned, adding initially, 45,000 mothers of 3,000 unions will be brought under the programme.
"This programme will ensure safe motherhood, and better health and nutrition of hardcore poor mothers as well as safe birth and sound upbringing of infants," he said.
The adviser, however, said the rate of allowance for widowed and destitute women will be enhanced from Tk 200 to Tk 220 per month while its beneficiary coverage will be extended to 750,000 from the existing 650,000.
He further said programmes like Vulnerable Group Development (VGD), stipend for female students, maternity voucher scheme, community-based nutrition and vocational training for women will be extended further.
In addition, he proposed to allocate Tk 200 million as micro-credit to generate employment opportunities for women, Tk 100 million for the Fund for Acid-Burnt Women and the Disabled and Tk 250 million for welfare of RMG (readymade garment) workers and Tk 200 million for their training for enhancement of efficiency, he noted.
Besides, employment opportunities for 24,000 destitute women in 387 unions will also be created under the programme titled 'Rural Employment Opportunities for Protection of Public Property', he added.
About child development, the subsistence allowance of the children of orphanages, 'Shishu Sadan', 'Shishu Paribar', 'Chotomoni Nibash' and Safe Home has been enhanced from Tk 1000 to Tk 1200, said the Adviser.
Besides, the per-capita capitation grant for children in private orphanages has been increased by Tk 200 while the day-care centres are being established for the children of low-income families, he noted.
He also said a programme has been taken up to ensure children's right as enshrined in international convention and child laws dealing with the prosecution of juvenile delinquency and internment.
Terming freedom fighters 'the finest children of the soil', he proposed to enhance the rates of allowance of the disabled freedom fighters at all levels by 50 per cent and the rate of monthly allowance for insolvent freedom fighters from Tk 500 to Tk 600.

"There was an allocation of Tk 782 million for this purpose in the budget of last fiscal year. With the new proposals, this allocation will increase to Tk 995 million," he said.
Besides, the construction of the residential flats for freedom fighters and the Freedom Fighter Park will start soon, he mentioned.
The government has taken up a comprehensive programme to ensure the rights of the disabled and the disadvantaged communities with the country signing the UN Charter on the Rights of the Disabled adopted in 61st regular session of the General assembly, he observed.
Implementation of a comprehensive work plan for the welfare of thedisabled is underway through various ministries, the adviser said.