News Flash
SANGSAD BHABAN, June 6, 2024 (BSS) - Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali
has proposed increasing the social security programme allocation by 7.72
percent year-on-year for the 2024-25 fiscal year (FY).
The social security programme has been given an allocation of Taka 1,36,026
crore, up by Taka 9,754 crore from Taka 1,26,272 crore of the current fiscal.
"I am proposing an allocation of Taka 1,36,026 crore in the next FY2024-25
for social safety net programme which was Taka 1,26,272 crore in the current
FY2023-24," he said while proposing over Taka 7.97 lakh crore national budget
for FY24-25 at Jatiya Sangsad (JS) here this afternoon.
Ali said the ministry of social welfare provides capitation grants to orphans
and underprivileged children in private orphanages as part of the social
safety net.
Recently, he said software has been developed as a part of piloting programme
to provide capitation grant using the Smart System (G2I) to private
orphanages.
In the next FY2024-25, the piloting programme will be expanded to all 64
districts by the FY2025-26, capitation grants will be distributed directly
via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) system using the G2I to the private
orphanages and institutions across the country, he added.
Ali, however, said the government is committed to protect the interests and
rights of persons with disabilities.
"In the next financial year, the number of disability allowance recipients
will be increased from the current 29 lakh to 32 lakh 34 thousand. Besides,
the stipend for students with disabilities will be raised from Taka 950 to
Taka 1050 at the higher secondary level," he added.
The finance minister said a total of 103 disabled service and aid centres are
being operated across 64 districts and 39 upazilas for providing therapeutic
services to the country's disabled population.
"These centres offer free services and aid. As of January 2024, they have
distributed 75,000 devices for assistance-such as artificial limbs,
wheelchairs, bicycles, crutches, standing frames, walking frames, white
canes, elbow crutches, and sewing machines for income generation-at no cost
to the disabled individuals," he added.
The minister said the protection and rehabilitation of underprivileged and
endangered children are being facilitated through nationwide Sheikh Russell
Child Training and Rehabilitation Centres.
Currently, he said, underprivileged and endangered children are being
reunited with their families or close relatives, or rehabilitated in other
institutions, through the Sheikh Russell Child Training and Rehabilitation
Centres located in Gazipur, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Rangpur, Barisal,
Sylhet, Faridpur, Kushtia, Barguna, Cox's Bazar, Jamalpur and Shibganj in the
Chapainawabganj district. At present, 1,088 boys and 1,216 girls are staying
in these centres.
Ali said as life expectancy of the population rises, the government is paying
special attention to the well-being of the elderly population.
In FY2023-24, he informed, an allocation of Taka 4,260 crore was made to
provide monthly allowance of Taka 600 to 58.01 lakh senior citizens. In the
upcoming fiscal year, the number of beneficiaries will increase to 60.01 lakh
and an allowance of Taka 4,351 crore will be made in the upcoming budget.
Moreover, a decision has been made to increase the number of widows and
abandoned women receiving allowances from 25 lakh 75 thousand to 27 lakh 75
thousand and allowance of Taka 1,844 crore will be allocated in the budget,
he added.
Ali said education stipends programme for all marginalized communities,
including Hijra and Vede will continue to extend educational opportunities to
them.
He said the government is relentlessly working to preserve the history,
heritage, and memory of the great Liberation War and to ensure the welfare of
the heroic freedom fighters.
"Following the directives of the Prime Minister, the monthly honorarium for
all categories of freedom fighters has been increased to a minimum of Taka
20,000 considering the socio-economic status of the freedom fighters," he
added.
Furthermore, he mentioned, the honorarium for the martyrs, freedom fighters
holding a title of honour, and war-wounded freedom fighters is now directly
deposited into their bank accounts through the Government-to-Person (G2P)
system.
"We are providing grants for freedom fighters' honorarium, including festival
allowances, Bengali New Year allowances, and Great Victory Day allowances for
the freedom fighters who are alive," he said.
In this connection, he said there are also provisions for medical care and
burial expenses after the death of the freedom fighters. "With the objective
of giving self-employment opportunities for the heroic freedom fighters and
their children, the Bangladesh Rural Development Board continues to provide
microcredit facilities," he added.
Moreover, he said, the programme for issuance of smart cards and digital
certificates to ensure the identity of these heroic freedom fighters, who are
included in the integrated list of the freedom fighters is underway.
Additionally he said, under the 'Housing Construction Project for the
Insolvent Freedom Fighters' project, 30 thousand 'Bir Nibas' are being
constructed at a cost of Taka 6,097 crore, with the aim of providing free
housing to the finest sons of the nation.
Meanwhile, 11,057 Bir Nibas constructions have been completed and the
construction of another 10,889 is in progress, he added.