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.
