Public moneys is generously available for those government servants whose salaries have gone up several times. If they are entitled to get special Baishakhi allowance the poor workers have greater claim to have the same fixed benefit.
As the government cannot assure proper distribution of cash undefined and unclassified, do not attach much importance to the government’s allocation of Tk 1,720 crore to provide food aid to one crore twenty lakh fifty thousand vulnerable households across the country during the nationwide lockdown extended till April 21st.
A news report published in a national daily on Monday said that the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has already sent Tk 572 crore to 64 district administrations to buy food items for the needy families. We know that the government has no control and the money will go to party followers.
However, the distribution of the food aid has temporarily been suspended, as the Deputy Commissioners have suggested distribution of cash relief since the procurement of food items creates various problems. Food procurement takes time and may create the scope for misappropriation of relief materials. So, according to the district administrations, they have halted the relief distribution for now. Last year, as many as 116 public representatives, including union parishad chairmen and members, were suspended over misappropriation of relief materials and funds.
Baishakhi allowance should also be during the lockdown, for the low paid private employees and the vulnerable poor who need it the most.
Because of the enforcement of social distancing measures and countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of the deadly pandemic, the low income people — rickshaw and rickshaw-van pullers, transport workers, construction and hotel workers, street hawkers, peasants and day labourers, porters and domestic helps — have been suffering most as many of them have lost their livelihoods. Under the circumstances, people who are benefiting from other social safety net programmes, such as the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF), Vulnerable Group Development (VGD), and Open Market Sale (OMS) initiatives, should not be eligible for the lockdown food aid. The food aid fund is supposed to be provided to each vulnerable family. The relief fund will be available through the offices of Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) with recommendations from local public representatives.
During last year’s lockdown, a BRAC study conducted between March 31 and April 5 found that the number of people living in extreme poverty had doubled to 42 per cent. The study also revealed that 14 per cent of low-income respondents did not have any food at home while average household income had fallen by 75 per cent that time.
