In the next financial year, through three separate programs, a quarter of a million people are being brought under social security. Of these, 6 lakh poor senior citizens of 150 Upazilas will be brought in old age allowance. 4 lakh 25 thousand widows and husbands will come under the new allowance. Apart from this, 2 lakh 8 thousand indigent disabled people will get an allowance. Beneficiaries who get new allowance under social security will be given 500 rupees per month. For this, an additional allocation of Tk 938 crore has been made in the budget for the next financial year. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide this extra money. ADB is providing ২৫ 250 million to Bangladesh under its social tolerance program. In terms of money, the amount is 2 thousand 125 crore rupees. An online agreement was signed between the ADB and the Economic Relations Department (ERD) on Wednesday. The agreement was signed by ADB Country Director Manmohan Prakash and ERD Secretary Fatima Yasmin. For this, an integrated system will be developed under the social security program.
Let’s see how much the Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has taken initiative to increase the number of beneficiaries mentioned in the proposed budget for the next financial year. At present, 49 lakh senior citizens of 112 Upazilas get an allowance of Tk 500 per month. 7 lakh senior citizens will be added to the list in the next financial year. For that 150 Upazilas have been brought under. An additional Tk 461 crore has been allocated for the new beneficiaries.
At present, 20 lakh widows and abused women get a monthly allowance of Tk 500. In the next financial year, another 4 lakh 25 thousand widows and husbands of 150 Upazilas will come under the allowance of oppressed women. For this, the finance minister has increased the allocation in the proposed budget by Tk 255 crore. At present 16 lakh, disabled people get an allowance. This number will increase to 20 lakh 7 thousand in the next financial year. 200 crore has been allocated for additional beneficiary allowance. The Asian Development Bank will provide additional funding. It has been decided to increase the number of beneficiaries in those three programs only in the next financial year.
The ADB press release sent yesterday said that various reforms will be made to strengthen the social security program.
ADB Country Director Manmohan Prakash said, “Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has grown by 5.2 percent in the last financial year due to strong social security programs and incentive packages in Corona.” ADB is assisting Bangladesh to strengthen as well as expand social security programs. This initiative will help the poor people of this country to overcome the Corona epidemic. ‘
