Budget proposes wider social safety net

The new budget has proposed widening the government's social safety net coverage both in terms of the number of beneficiaries and the amount of allowances aiming to eradicate poverty from the country.  
The number of beneficiaries for old age allowance has been proposed to be raised to 3.0 million from 2.72 million while for widow, abandoned and destitute women it will be raised to 1.11 million from 1.01 million, and for insolvent disabled persons it will be 600,000 from 400,000. Also the amount of monthly allowance of freedom fighters has been increased to Tk 10,000 from Tk 5,000.
The number of disabled students receiving stipends will be increased to 60,000 from earlier 50,000 and the rate of stipend will also be increased, said the minister.
The number of beneficiaries of maternity allowance for poor mothers and those of working lactating mother assistance fund will be enhanced by 20 per cent, he added.
"Despite efforts, a considerable portion of the population is still living below the poverty line. In order to fully eradicate poverty from the country, we will ensure rational and target oriented expansion of social safety net programmes," finance minister AMA Muhith said Thursday in his budget speech.
However, the finance minister proposed allocating Tk 167.25 billion for social security and welfare programmes for the fiscal year 2015-16, up by about 20 per cent from the revised budget of Tk 139.55 billion in the FY 2014-15.
The amount was Tk 151.97 billion in the FY 2014-15 and Tk 112.29 billion in the FY 2013-14.
Mr Muhith said: "we have taken up a plan to provide identity cards to all disabled persons by using the national disability database, and also revise the existing development programmes and take up new initiatives by taking the nature of disability into account."
He said this year the amount of budget allocation for these activities has doubled for expanding activities for improvement of living standard of hijra, dalit, harijan and bede communities, providing emergency food assistance to tea labourers, and extending financial assistance to the poor patients suffering from cancer, kidney diseases and liver cirrhosis.  
"I am happy to propose the increase of monthly allowance to Tk 10,000 from Tk. 5,000 for the freedom fighters who have crossed the age of sixty-five," said the minister.
Of the total, Tk 167.25 billion, the disaster management and relief ministry will get Tk 74.40 billion, food ministry Tk 16.72 billion, liberation war affairs ministry Tk 26.79 billion, women and children affairs ministry Tk 16.78 billion and social welfare ministry Tk 32.56 billion.
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