Budget needs to focus on effective implementation of SSNPs

The Social Safety Net Programmes (SSNPs) are definitely a good step in providing equal opportunities, upholding fundamental rights and improving the living standard of the poor and vulnerable groups. The total budget for the SSNP in the fiscal year (FY) 2013-14 is Tk 204.05 billion (20,405 crore) or 2.0 per cent of the GDP (gross domestic product) for 99 projects under 22 ministries. Some of the SSNPs are vulnerable group development (VGD), vulnerable group feeding (VGD), old age allowance, employment generation programme for the hardcore poor, rural maintenance programme, freedom fighters' allowance, open market sale (OMS), cash for work (CFW), test relief, gratuitous relief, food for work, allowance for the financially insolvent disabled, etc.

However, assessment reports of different agencies and organisations and departments pointed out loopholes in implementation of the SSNPs. The Bangladesh Poverty Assessment of World Bank, the Research Report of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), the General Economic Division of Planning Commission etc. stressed the importance of the programmes for improving the living standard of the ultra poor and disabled people and also pointed out mismanagement, misuse of funds and corruption in their implementation.

If the government could run the SSNP programmes by using resources effectively and efficiently, the outcome could be far better. The allegations of mismanagement, fund misuse and corruption as stated in the reports are: (i) about 44 per cent beneficiaries enjoyed the facility illegally, i.e., despite not being eligible they enjoyed it, (ii) one-third of resources are misused due to mismanagement and lack of transparency, (iii) areas like Khulna and Barisal, which are home to the ultra poor, were not focused on especially, and (iv) availing the facility violating the terms of the programmes due to corruption at the local government level and political influence.

With a view to controlling and implementing the programmes to cover the beneficiaries effectively and efficiently for optimum results, the programmes can be classified into two sections: (i) Criteria-based SSNPs i.e. based on certain criteria the eligible people will receive the benefits and (ii) on-the-spot SSNPs. The criteria-based SSNPs are conditional and prone to corruption at the local government level during preparing the list of beneficiaries. A union chairman or ward commissioner or any other person at the local government level while picking the beneficiaries for these programmes take into consideration the monetary gain, political influence and nepotism. As a result, the ineligible people emerge beneficiaries of the programmes while eligible people are left out.

How can a list of eligible beneficiaries be prepared, when there is political influence, nepotism and corruption in the form of monetary gain? So, two lists of beneficiaries can be prepared by (i) the local teachers and students or any other third party deemed impartial in doing the job and (ii) the chairman or any commissioner of the local government. These two lists will be combined before finalising a list of beneficiaries by the concerned Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO). The final list can be updated periodically or annually. The teams of school teachers and students and any verification team from the UNO office should prepare questionnaires in a very simple way to find out whether there was any financial transaction with the beneficiaries by any quarter whiling preparing the list. To minimise corruption the UNO office should make sure the allowances are distributed properly.

When it comes to SSNPs like Open Market Sales (OMS), the programmes should be implemented in outreach areas or places where the ultra poor people or the target group resides. The OMS programme can be more effective, if it is run in the areas like Jatrabari, Sayedabad and Mohakhali instead of areas like Gulshan and Banani.

The Sixth Five-Year Plan (SFYP) addresses the key challenges in implementing SSNPs like coverage, targeting beneficiaries, leakage and disparity in regional resource distribution. The SFYP focuses on some issues with the aim to use resources effectively for poverty eradication. As per the SFYP, consideration would be given to (i) establishing a centre for keeping track of the resources and ensuring their optimal utilisation, (ii) improving the accountability of intermediaries who are involved in implementing the social protection programmes, (iii) ensuring an arrangement for monitoring and overseeing the development and implementation of policies and programmes, (iv) coordinating activities of the government and non-government organisations working in this particular area, (v) assigning greater responsibility for implementing the programmes at the local government level, (vi) introducing periodic evaluation of programmes to throw light on what is working and what is not, and (vii) allowing reform and consolidation of programmes where needed.

The government should effectively implement the programmes as planned and review the process of implementation to address the loopholes.

The allocation under SSNP programmes may be small but the benefit could be enormous for the targeted population if these were implemented properly. At the end of SFYP, the allocations under the GDP may increase to 3.0 per cent of the GDP as stated in the SFYP. To get the social benefit up to the expectation, the budget should focus on effective implementation of SSNPs in a transparent way to ease the sufferings of the target groups.

The writer is an Associate Member of ICAB and Head of Finance of              Venture Investment Partners Bangladesh Ltd. (VIPB). roy_dipok@yahoo.com