Special Correspondent :
The government will widen the coverage of social safety net programme further for the benefit of poor people in the country.
Officials said, the number of beneficiaries under various social safety net programme (SSNP) will be increased by nearly 13 lakh in the upcoming fiscal year (2019-20).
The total number of beneficiaries under the scheme would be increased to 89 lakh from 76 lakh following the inclusion of new beneficiaries. The budgetary allocation for the programme would also go up in next fiscal year, according to finance ministry officials.
“The government would increase the allocation and the number of beneficiaries in different schemes of social safety net programme for the next fiscal year with a view to improving the living standardof the poor and underprivileged,” a Finance Ministry official told The New Nation on Friday.
The government had allocated Tk 64,656 crore under the programme in FY2018-19, which is 2.55 per cent of GDP and 13.92 per cent of the total budget.
Officials said that the government is likely to set aside Tk 70,000 crore fund in the next budget to implement the programme.
From the next fiscal year, an additional 4.0 lakh people will get old age allowances, 3.0 lakh women get widow and poor women allowances, 5.50 lakh will get disability allowances, 70,000 will get maternity allowances, and 25,000 will get working lactating mother allowances.
Besides, 10,000 more tea labourers and 15,000 underprivileged people will come under the government’s social safety-net programme.
In the fiscal year 2017-18, the government allocated Tk54,206 crore for this programme.
The total allocation of the government’s social safety net scheme for the fiscal year 2016-17 was Tk 45,230 crore, according to the Finance Ministry data.
“It is commendable that the government of Bangladesh is focusing on increasing the allocation and number of beneficiaries of the social safety net programme every year. Safety net programme in Bangladesh has been contributing to the reduction of poverty as it provides different forms of assistance to a wide range of vulnerable groups to improve their livelihood,” Dr Zahid Hussain, Lead Economist of World Bank’s Dhaka office told The New Nation.
He said not only Bangladesh, nations around the world implement social safety net programme and they contribute to reducing the poverty gap and improving living standard of the poorest.
“Bangladesh should focus on making the programme more pro-poor to effectively fight against poverty and make it a grand success,” cited Dr Zahid Hussain.
The government will widen the coverage of social safety net programme further for the benefit of poor people in the country.
Officials said, the number of beneficiaries under various social safety net programme (SSNP) will be increased by nearly 13 lakh in the upcoming fiscal year (2019-20).
The total number of beneficiaries under the scheme would be increased to 89 lakh from 76 lakh following the inclusion of new beneficiaries. The budgetary allocation for the programme would also go up in next fiscal year, according to finance ministry officials.
“The government would increase the allocation and the number of beneficiaries in different schemes of social safety net programme for the next fiscal year with a view to improving the living standardof the poor and underprivileged,” a Finance Ministry official told The New Nation on Friday.
The government had allocated Tk 64,656 crore under the programme in FY2018-19, which is 2.55 per cent of GDP and 13.92 per cent of the total budget.
Officials said that the government is likely to set aside Tk 70,000 crore fund in the next budget to implement the programme.
From the next fiscal year, an additional 4.0 lakh people will get old age allowances, 3.0 lakh women get widow and poor women allowances, 5.50 lakh will get disability allowances, 70,000 will get maternity allowances, and 25,000 will get working lactating mother allowances.
Besides, 10,000 more tea labourers and 15,000 underprivileged people will come under the government’s social safety-net programme.
In the fiscal year 2017-18, the government allocated Tk54,206 crore for this programme.
The total allocation of the government’s social safety net scheme for the fiscal year 2016-17 was Tk 45,230 crore, according to the Finance Ministry data.
“It is commendable that the government of Bangladesh is focusing on increasing the allocation and number of beneficiaries of the social safety net programme every year. Safety net programme in Bangladesh has been contributing to the reduction of poverty as it provides different forms of assistance to a wide range of vulnerable groups to improve their livelihood,” Dr Zahid Hussain, Lead Economist of World Bank’s Dhaka office told The New Nation.
He said not only Bangladesh, nations around the world implement social safety net programme and they contribute to reducing the poverty gap and improving living standard of the poorest.
“Bangladesh should focus on making the programme more pro-poor to effectively fight against poverty and make it a grand success,” cited Dr Zahid Hussain.
