The government has decided to send as many as Tk 1,200 crore directly to 5 million poor families who have been worst hit as the economy suffers in the aftermath of coronavirus outbreak, sources said.
The direct payment will cover around 20 million people with a family getting Tk 2,400 a month.
The finance ministry has already allocated the fund and will disburse it in a or two days as the move awaits green signal from higher authorities since the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has been supervising the entire process, the sources added.
“The Tk 1,200 crore will be released very soon and the PMO is directly supervising the matter,” said Habibur Rahman, additional secretary of the finance ministry.
According to the sources, the relief and disaster management, and the finance ministries began working after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced that her government would help the marginalized people during the coronavirus crisis.
Since then, authorities concerned started gathering details on poor and destitute people in district, upazilas , and urban areas with the help of local public representatives.
A list containing details on 5 million families has been compiled. Each family has four of their members enlisted in it, bringing a total of 20 million marginalized people under the direct payment plan.
Each of them will get Tk 600 a month, to be sent to either their mobile banking accounts or bank accounts.
It is learned the government will spend one-tenth of the 1,200 core allocation, which will come from the budget, in the first installment.
According to the sources, the government is mulling more cash incentives to ease the poor’s sufferings.
The finance ministry will oversee the matter including distributing money and if more fund is required, the finance department will manage it, Rahman said.
