Social safety net programs to widen and increase in FY20

The government is considering a set of proposals to widen the scope of social safety net programs in fiscal year 2019-20.

A total of Tk74,367 crore has been proposed in order to do so, which is 14.21% of the entire proposed budget, and 2.58% of the gross domestic product (GDP) for FY2019-20.

However, the choice of deserving beneficiaries has been prioritized to enhance the effectiveness of these social safety net programs.

To that end, steps have been taken to establish a management information system (MIS) for all programs and databases for all beneficiaries. 

Payments are currently being made directly by the government to beneficiaries through a government to person (G2P) system.

At present, nearly 25% of all families in the country are served by social safety net programs.

The new social safety net program offers will include:

* The State Honorarium for our valiant freedom fighters to be increased from Tk10,000-Tk12,000

* The number of adult allowance recipients to be increased from 4,000,000 to 4,400,000

* Number of widows and victims of domestic violence recipients to be increased from 1,400,000 to 1,700,000

* Number of insolvent persons with disabilities as beneficiaries to be increased from 1,000,000 to 1,545,000

* Number of disabled student stipend beneficiaries to be increased from 90,000 to 100,000, and the stipends themselves to be increased from Tk700 to Tk750 for primary level students, from Tk750 to Tk800 for secondary level students, and from Tk850 to Tk900 for higher secondary students

* All third gender persons to be brought under social safety net, the number of beneficiaries of Third Gender Livelihood Development programs to be increased to 6,000

 * Additionally, 20,000 gypsies and disadvantaged communities to be added as beneficiaries to the current list of 64,000 persons

* The number of beneficiaries in the financial assistance program for patients suffering from cancer, kidney, liver cirrhosis, paralysis due to stroke, and congenital heart diseases to be increased from 15,000 to 30,000

* The number of beneficiaries in livelihood development programs for tea-garden workers to be increased from 40,000 to 50,000

* Number of beneficiaries of maternity allowances for poor mothers to be increased from 700,000 to 770,000

* Number of beneficiaries in lactating mothers’ assistance programs to be increased from 250,000 to 275,000