The government plans to allocate Tk9,570 crore for the next fiscal year - a 7.39% increase, to support its three-flagship social safety net initiatives under the Ministry of Social Welfare - old age allowance, disability allowances, and allowances for widows, deserted, and destitute women.
These three programmes currently hold an allocation of Tk8,912 crore in the current fiscal year, indicating an increase of Tk658 crore in the next budget under preparation, said officials of the Ministry of Social Welfare.
Sources of the ministry said that the ministry has proposed Tk4,425 crore for the old age allowance highest among all programmes of the ministry - Tk219 crore higher than the existing allocation of Tk4,206 crore.
Officials said, each of over 5.8 million people - males aged over 65 years and females aged over 62 years are receiving Tk600 per month under the current budget.
The government is to increase the allocation by 5.22% in the next fiscal year to introduce another 0.2 million people under the programme.
Officials of the finance ministry said that 262 upazilas have come under full coverage of old age allowance and an increase of beneficiaries by 0.8 million will ensure full coverage of allowance in remaining upazilas.
A review of the budget proposals of the Ministry of Social Welfare showed that a total of Tk10,778 crore has been sought for allocation to 22 sectors under social security outside the Annual Development Programme (ADP) scheme for the next fiscal.
In the current financial year, the total allocation for these initiatives was Tk10,089 crore, while the allocation for the social security sector is increasing by Tk690 crore or 6.84% in favour of the ministry.
The allowance for widows to increase by 12.82% in the next fiscal to increase coverage for another 0.2 million women, said officials.
The ministry has asked for Tk1931 crore for the next budget, Tk219 crore higher than the existing allocation of Tk1711 crore.
The ministry shouted to increase an additional Tk219 to implement Disability Allowance Programme for the next fiscal and asked allocation of Tk3,198 crore.
Allocation for the programme under the current fiscal year is Tk2,979 crore, said the officials.
They said that about 2.9 million disabled people are receiving the allowance and the government wish to ensure the coverage for all of the disabled people.
The allocation is to be increased to ensure 100% allowance coverage for disabled people.
Allocation to remain fixed for 11 initiatives
A total of 11 programmes of the Ministry of Social Welfare under the social security in the next fiscal to be implemented with a fixed allocation following the current fiscal year.
These programmes utilised a total of Tk760.55 crore in the current fiscal year.
Allocation for Hijra people's quality of life development activities will remain the same as the current fiscal year at Tk6.32 crore while it will be unchanged at Tk9.28 crore for the livelihood development program of Bede community.
The Education Scholarship Programme for Students with Disabilities also will remain unchanged at Tk112.74 crore and support for paralyzed and congenital heart patients in cancer kidney liver cirrhosis stroke programmes would be implemented with an allocation of Tk200 crore.
Among other initiatives, the allocation would be unchanged for improving the living standards of tea workers, rural and city social service activities, rural mother centre activities, rehabilitation and alternative employment of the begging population, support for a non-government orphanage and cochlear implant operation.
