UNB, Dhaka :
The government is going to expand the social safety net by over 13 percent in the next budget, providing monetary allowances to additional 7 lakh poor.
With these additional 7 lakh people, the number of total beneficiaries of the social safety net programme will rise to 60 lakh, according to sources at the Finance Ministry.
The allowance money for the elderly people, widows or husband-abandoned, insolvent or disabled persons, transgender, gypsies, poor mothers and working mothers will be increased from Tk 100 to Tk 200.
The government has allotted Tk 1,920 crore for the allowances of freedom fighters, a senior official at the Finance Ministry told UNB, adding that it has decided to pay two festival bonuses to the freedom fighters and this will be declared in the budget.
Currently, some 2 lakh freedom fighters are getting Tk 10,000 per month each as allowance.
“Besides, allocations for different patients having cancer, kidney, liver cirrhosis,
paralysis and heart problem by birth as well as for improving the life standard of tea-labourers will be increased in the budget,” said the Finance Ministry source.
Stipend for physically- and mentally-challenged students will also see an increase, the source said, adding that the beneficiaries of the VGD will get money for savings.
The government is going to expand the social safety net by over 13 percent in the next budget, providing monetary allowances to additional 7 lakh poor.
With these additional 7 lakh people, the number of total beneficiaries of the social safety net programme will rise to 60 lakh, according to sources at the Finance Ministry.
The allowance money for the elderly people, widows or husband-abandoned, insolvent or disabled persons, transgender, gypsies, poor mothers and working mothers will be increased from Tk 100 to Tk 200.
The government has allotted Tk 1,920 crore for the allowances of freedom fighters, a senior official at the Finance Ministry told UNB, adding that it has decided to pay two festival bonuses to the freedom fighters and this will be declared in the budget.
Currently, some 2 lakh freedom fighters are getting Tk 10,000 per month each as allowance.
“Besides, allocations for different patients having cancer, kidney, liver cirrhosis,
paralysis and heart problem by birth as well as for improving the life standard of tea-labourers will be increased in the budget,” said the Finance Ministry source.
Stipend for physically- and mentally-challenged students will also see an increase, the source said, adding that the beneficiaries of the VGD will get money for savings.
