The number of government pensioners is increasing

Another 9 lakh 81 thousand 61 people are coming under the social security program in the proposed budget of 2024-25 financial year in the National Parliament.

Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali gave this information in the proposed budget speech of 2024-25 fiscal year in the National Parliament on Thursday (June 6). In the next financial year, the size of the national budget for development and underdevelopment is 7 lakh 97 thousand crores.

He has proposed allocation of Tk 1 lakh 36 thousand 26 crore in the next financial year 2024-25 for running social security activities, which was Tk 1 lakh 26 thousand 227 crore in the financial year 2023-24. The allocation for social security sector is increasing by 9 thousand 754 crores.

Newly 5 lakh disabled allowance, 1 lakh 50 thousand 480 maternity allowance, 2 lakh elderly allowance, 2 lakh widow and husband desertion allowance, 5 thousand 749 third gender and 90 thousand 832 other backward groups of the society will be brought under the allowance.

The finance minister said that our utmost efforts are continuing to protect the interests and rights of the disabled. In the next financial year, the number of persons receiving disability allowance will be increased from the present 29 lakh to 32 lakh 34 thousand. Besides, it has been decided to increase the rate of higher secondary level stipend for disabled students from existing 950 taka to 1 thousand 50 taka.

He said that the MIS-based mother and child support program has been launched under the National Social Security Strategy Program by revamping the Maternity Allowance in rural areas and the Working Lactating Mother Support Fund program in urban areas. Under this program, mothers are given 800 taka per month for up to 36 months.

'Online application process has been introduced to ensure easy and secure access to mother and child support across the country. Apart from this, it has been decided to increase the number of beneficiaries from 15 lakh 4 thousand 800 people to 16 lakh 55 thousand 280 people in the next fiscal year in order to expand the scope of this program.

The finance minister said that with the increase in the average life expectancy of the people of the country, the government is paying special attention to the protection of the elderly population. In the fiscal year 2023-24, a total of Tk 4,206 crore has been allocated at the rate of Tk 600 per month for 58 lakh 1 thousand senior citizens. In the next financial year, the number of senior citizens receiving allowance will be increased to 60 lakh 1 thousand people. It has been decided to allocate Tk 4 thousand 351 crore for this.

Apart from this, it has been decided to increase the number of widows and widowed women receiving allowance from the existing 25 lakh 75 thousand to 27 lakh 75 thousand and for this purpose, an allocation of Tk 1 thousand 844 crore has been kept.

Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali also said that the government has strong commitment to the protection of the backward groups of the society including Bede, third gender. A total of 6,880 people are currently being given allowances to improve the quality of life of the third gender population. It is planned to bring a total of 12 thousand 629 people under the allowance in the next financial year. Apart from this, the allowance program for the Vedic community will continue.