New lists of beneficiaries under social safety nets in the offing
Monday, 9 March 2009
A high-powered government committee on old age allowances decided Sunday to prepare new lists of beneficiaries to be covered in the next budget under the government's social safety net programmes, reports UNB.
"The previous lists were prepared on political consideration," Social Welfare Minister Enamul Hoque Mostafa Shahid told the journalists at the Finance Ministry after a meeting of the committee with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair.
Replying to a question, the Social Welfare Minister said the previous lists prepared by the "Gram Sarkar" were politicized and many solvent people in the lists even did not turn up for receiving the allowance while insolvent ones did not find their place in the lists.
He said the elected representatives from parliament members to UP members would now prepare the lists while the government would strengthen the monitoring to ensure proper delivery of the social benefits.
Under the new plan, Mostafa Shahid said the coverage of the allowances for elderly people, widows and freedom fighters would be widened and the rate of the allowances would be enhanced. The monthly rate of old age allowance would range between Tk 250 and Tk 300 per person.
Replying to a question, the minister said the government has already asked the authorities concerned to prepare the lists that would be completed before the budget for the fiscal 2008-09.
"The previous lists were prepared on political consideration," Social Welfare Minister Enamul Hoque Mostafa Shahid told the journalists at the Finance Ministry after a meeting of the committee with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair.
Replying to a question, the Social Welfare Minister said the previous lists prepared by the "Gram Sarkar" were politicized and many solvent people in the lists even did not turn up for receiving the allowance while insolvent ones did not find their place in the lists.
He said the elected representatives from parliament members to UP members would now prepare the lists while the government would strengthen the monitoring to ensure proper delivery of the social benefits.
Under the new plan, Mostafa Shahid said the coverage of the allowances for elderly people, widows and freedom fighters would be widened and the rate of the allowances would be enhanced. The monthly rate of old age allowance would range between Tk 250 and Tk 300 per person.
Replying to a question, the minister said the government has already asked the authorities concerned to prepare the lists that would be completed before the budget for the fiscal 2008-09.