Govt wants no one to starve: Minister

block
UNB, Dhaka :
Information Minister Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said the government is working in way so that no one starves in the country during this coronavirus crisis.
“The government is working so that those who are poor and live from hand to mouth do not suffer. The affluent section of society and philanthropists are also coming forward. The government’s target is to make sure that not a single person starves,” he said in an online briefing from the Secretariat.
He said one-third population of the country is getting various government assistance during this pandemic.
Over 10 lakh families are getting assistance under the government’s Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) programme, 50 lakh families getting rice at Tk 10 and 12.5 lakh families getting Open Market Sales (OMS) assistance, he said.
Meanwhile, district administrations have been purchasing vegetables, milk from farmers and distributing those among locals, he added.
The minister also said three lakh families will receive assistance under fisheries VGF progaramme from May next.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has distributed 1,04,267mts of rice among people in rural areas, he said.
Hasan Mahmud also mentioned that the ministry has so far allocated cash Tk 44.11 crore while Tk 9.54 crore for child food.
The minister said that health disaster needs to be tackled with concerted efforts.
block