The government has allocated over Tk 4.65 billion (Tk 465 crore) for giving loan without interest to the insolvent and disabled people in villages to alleviate poverty and discrimination from the country, reports BSS.
"We have already allocated Taka 464 crore 43 lakh and 25 thousand (over Tk 4.65 billion) under the Rural Social Service (RSS) programme to give loan without interest to villagers to alleviate poverty and discrimination from the country by ensuring similar scopes for rural and urban people," said Social Welfare Minister Nuruzzaman Ahmed.
He said this while replying to a query from Treasury Bench lawmaker Md Afzal Hossain from Kishoreganj-5 constituency in the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament).
The RSS programme is now being carried out at 487 upazilas across the country with a target to bring more than 2.79 million (27,17,963) people under the coverage of it, he mentioned.
The government has undertaken the programme mainly for the betterment of the poor, insolvent, destitute, burnt and disabled people living in the rural area following the footsteps of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he said.
Bangabandhu had taken RSS programme in 19 police stations in 1974 and "Palli Matrikendra Karjokrom" (Rural Mother Centre Programme) in 1975 for ensuring uplift of the rural people.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had taken the extended RSS programme-5 soon after assumption in office in 1996 and implemented it.
The Prime Minister Hasina on January 2 in 2010 had announced giving allocation in the national budget for providing loan without interest to the rural people commemorating the National Social Service Day.
After the announcement, the Awami League government has started giving allocation for the RSS programme in the budget since fiscal year 2011-12.
The cabinet recently approved the "National Coordinated Savings and Small Loan Programme Implementation Policy, 2019" to run the RSS programme under all the ministries in a same manner.
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