BSS :
More than 5.2 million hardest hit and other worst-affected families consisting 21 million people in Rajshahi Division have, so far, received government’s humanitarian assistance to overcome their livelihood related difficulties, triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of its continuous humanitarian support to cope with the present situation, the government has distributed 34,289 tons of rice and Tk15.18 crore in cash among the families in need in the division.
Moinul Islam, additional commissioner of Rajshahi, said 21,00,119 families were given 24,201 tons of rice and each of the beneficiary families got 10kgs of rice free of cost while another 11,15,697 families got Tk1,000 each for purchasing baby food and necessary essentials in all eight districts of the division till Tuesday.
A total of 506 tons of rice and over Tk5.11 lakh in cash are in the stock at present for distribution, he said.
Apart from this, around 2.02 million distressed and vulnerable families consisting of 9.1 million people have bought rice at a reduced price through Open Market Sale (OMS) in the division to mitigate their crisis caused by the pandemic.
The Department of Food has distributed 10,087.99 tons of rice at Tk10 per kg under the government’s OMS programme through 158 appointed dealers in all eight districts in the division till June 30.
Regional Controller of Food Raihanul Kabir said the OMS program has been conducted in city, district headquarters, pourasabha and union levels since April 5 so that people can get rice at a cheap price this time arose due to the deadly virus.
To mitigate the troubled situation, the food department has sold 194.84 tons of rice at Tk30 per kg till Tuesday since July 13, while around 1,359.12 tons of flour at Tk18 per kg under the OMS program in the division since July 1.
Apart from this, 4,500 tons of rice are also being distributed among the needy families under the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) program. Each of the 150,000 beneficiary families is getting 30kg of rice every month free of cost.
Meanwhile, Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) has distributed foodstuffs among around 800 distressed Covid-19 infected patients in the city areas.
Some 1,400 imams, khatibs, muazzins, khadems and hafez of 450 mosques in the city were given Tk7 lakh in cash and 14 tons of rice as a part of the government’s instant humanitarian support to handle the Covid-19 pandemic situation.
Another 37,315 members of 187 professional bodies were also given 278.88 tons of rice to alleviate their hardship.
The RCC also distributed 1,394.85 tons of rice, Tk48.12 lakh in cash and 145 cartons of baby food among the bad virus affected families as part of the government aid to handle the present troubled situation.
