The government has proposed to expand social safety net programmes by increasing budgetary allocation and the number of beneficiaries, expressing its intent to protect the poor from vulnerability.

In the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year, Tk 20,601 crore has been allocated for the programmes, which is 18.1 percent of the total budget outlay of Tk 1,13,819 crore, and Tk 4220.64 crore more than the revised allocation made in the current budget.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith attributed the expansion of the scheme on the government's intent to reduce poverty. He said his government plans to reduce the poverty rate to 15 percent by 2021 from the current 40 percent.

The minister has divided the social safety net programmes into four major categories, which are: providing special allowances for different underprivileged sections, so the poor and disadvantaged may tackle poverty effectively; employment generation through microcredit and different fund management programmes; food security based activities in order to better manage the consequences of natural disasters; and providing education, healthcare, training, and technical assistance to make the new generation capable and self-reliant.

The highest allocation of Tk 5,877 crore has been proposed for the Food for Work Programme, Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF), Vulnerable Group Development (VGD), Test Relief (TR -- Food), Gratuitous Relief (GR -- Food), and also for food assistance in Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The monthly rate of Old Age Allowance has been increased to Tk 300 from Tk 250, with a widened beneficiary coverage of 22.5 lakh from the current 20 lakh. This expansion of the scheme will cost the government an additional Tk 210 crore on top of the current allocation of Tk 600 crore.

A five times increase has been proposed in the allowances for destitute women, bringing the allocation to Tk 331.2 crore from the current Tk 61.2 crore.

Allowances for insolvent freedom fighters have been proposed 67 percent higher than the current benefits. An insolvent freedom fighter will get Tk 1,500 instead of the current

Tk 900, and the number of beneficiaries has also been raised to 1.25 lakh from one lakh.

The monthly allowance for insolvent disabled persons has been raised to Tk 300 while the number of beneficiaries has been increased to 2.6 lakh from 2 lakh.

Allowances for poor breastfeeding mothers have also been increased to Tk 350 from Tk 50, by increasing the allocation by Tk 11.1 crore compared to the current year's.

Another Tk 25 crore has been allocated for launching a similar programme for low-income breastfeeding mothers.

Nearly Tk 46 crore has been allocated for orphans and street children.

The budget proposed Tk 1,176 crore for an employment generation scheme for the hardcore poor.

The finance minister has also proposed to resume 'one home, one farm', and 'back home' programmes, allocating Tk 92 crore for those.

For imparting professional training to the youth with higher secondary certificates, Tk 20 crore has been allocated. Work will begin in Borguna and Kurigram districts on a pilot basis. Later the scheme will be expanded nationwide, the finance minister said.

The budget has proposed to allocate Tk 20 crore for women's and freedom fighters' self-employment fund, Tk 2 crore for women who are victims of acid attacks and for rehabilitation of physically challenged, and Tk 100 crore for assistance to poultry farms.

Microcredits of Tk 200 crore will be distributed through Palli Karma Shahayak Foundation.

The new budget has also proposed Tk 170 crore for rural roads maintenance project, which will employ the poor, Tk 76 crore for protection of government assets which will also generate work for the rural population, Tk 12.85 crore for employment generation in monga prone areas, and Tk 75.60 crore for the same purpose in char areas. Most of the workers under the schemes will be women.

For stipend programmes at different levels Tk 1,137.5 crore has been allocated, and Tk 9.80 core has been allocated for disabled students. Maternity Health Voucher Scheme has got an allocation of Tk 70 crore while Tk 173 crore has been allocated for the National Nutrition Programme.