The government proposed an allocation of Tk 955.74 billion for the social security in the 2020-21 fiscal – a 16.83 percent of total budget and 3.01 percent of GDP, in a bid to absorb the shock of Covid-19 impact.
“We are also implementing various programmes for the welfare of marginalised communities besides helping the people with disabilities,” Finance Minister AHM Mostafa Kamal said while placing the prosed budget in parliament on Thursday.
In the revised budget of the 2019-20 fiscal, the allocation was Tk. 818.65 billion.
“As the government enforced general holidays, lockdowns, closure of factories and businesses to prevent the spread of coronavirus infections, income of the common people has reduced, which now threatens our achievements in poverty alleviation and social security,” Kamal noted.
“In order to save the livelihoods of the poor from the impact of coronavirus-led income shortfall, the government has taken an initiative to make direct cash transfers to 5.0 million people in the current fiscal year to alleviate the sufferings of the poor.
Besides, the government has taken an initiative to make direct cash transfers to 5 million people in the current fiscal year to alleviate the sufferings of the poor working people in order to overcome the situation,
"In the next fiscal year, I propose to increase the coverage of the social security programmes in the following areas: All poor senior citizens in 100 upazilas most prone to poverty due to the coronavirus outbreak will be brought under the old age allowance as per the existing policy", Minister added.
He said this will add 5 lakh new beneficiaries, and an additional allocation of Tk 300 crore will be provided to this programme; All widows and women deserted by their husbands in 100 upazilas 40 most prone to poverty due to the coronavirus outbreak will be brought under the coverage of the allowance programme for widows and women deserted by their husbands as per the existing policy.
More 350,000 new beneficiaries will be added, and an additional allocation of Tk 210 crore will be provided to this programme; the number of beneficiaries of the allowance for insolvent persons with disabilities will be increased to 18 lakh following the latest disability identification survey.
This will add 255,000 new beneficiaries, and an additional allocation of Tk 229.50 crore will be required for this purpose.83.
In addition, the Maternity Allowance for Poor Mothers, the Working Lactating Mothers’ Assistance Programme, the VGD activities, the Freedom Fighters Honorarirum, the Employment Opportunity for the Extreme Poor, the Special Allowance for Improving the Living Standards of Gypsies and Disadvantaged Communities, the Education Stipend and Training for Gypsies and Disadvantaged Communities, the Assistance for Cancer, Kidney and Liver Cirrhosis Patients, the Living Standard Improvement Program for Tea Garden Workers, etc. will continue..
Expressing hope that, with this incentive, they will be able to revitalise the rural economy by creating vitality and enthusiasm, he proposed to allocate Tk 100 crore in FY 2020-21 for the ‘Rural Social Services Programme’ to keep the rural economy moving in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and create self- employment opportunities for the poor and helpless people in rural areas.
In the light of the National Social Security Strategy Paper, 2015, various social security programmes will be implemented to alleviate the plight of the poor and helpless people from the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
"We have been increasing the allocation in the social security sector every year to improve the condition of the poor. By now, about one-fourth of the families in the country have been brought under the social security programme", Kamal added.