BSS, Dhaka :
Poor people, including old, widow and financially insolvent disabled, will get more allowance in the next fiscal 2018-2019 as Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith proposed in the Jatiya Sangsad additional allocation for social protection.
In his budget proposal, the Finance Minister proposed for widening the beneficiary coverage of old age allowances to 40 lakh from 35 lakh, coverage of the allowances for widow and poor women to 14 lakh from 12.06 lakh and coverage of the allowances for financially insolvent disabled to 10 lakh from 8.25 lakh.
“In the light of the 7th Five-year Plan, every year the coverage and scope of the main programme is expanded for the marginalized and most vulnerable segment of the society. We are considering the disaster-prone regions, ultra poor regions and ratio of population while allocating resources,” the minister said.
Muhith said Liberation War Affairs Ministry is preparing a system to support insolvent war-wounded and sick freedom-fighters or their wives, children or grand-children. “We have allocated Taka 400 crore in the budget for that,” he added.
He recommended for introducing Bangla New Year allowance of Taka 2,000 to the valiant freedom fighters in addition to their monthly honorarium and festival allowance. The minister also proposed for a provision of special victory day allowance of Taka 5,000 per person for the living freedom-fighters.
According to the proposed budged, the number of beneficiaries of special allowances and stipend for the Bede and the underprivileged community would be increased to 64,000 from 36000. Of them, the number of beneficiary for special allowances will be increased to 40,000 from 23,000 and that for special allowances to 19,000 from 11,000.
Muhith suggested for raising the maternity allowance for poor mothers to Tk. 800 from Tk. 500 per month and extending the term of the allowance to 3 years from 2 years. Besides, the number of beneficiaries will be increased to 7 lakh from 6 lakh, he added.
The minister also recommended for raising the allowance for working lactating mothers to Tk. 800 from Tk. 500 per month and extending the term of the allowance to 3 years from 2 years. Besides, the number of beneficiaries will be increased to 2.5 lakh from 2 lakh, he added.
According to the proposed budget, the number of beneficiaries of VGD programmes would be increased to 10.4 lakh of which the number of beneficiaries in the upazilas of Teknaf and Ukhiya of Cox’s Bazar district will be increased by 20000 for each upazila.
