Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has proposed increasing the allocation for the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs by 2.38 per cent in the budget for the fiscal year 2022-23.
He proposed allocating Tk 4,290 crore for the ministry, which was Tk 4,190 crore in FY22.
While placing the budget proposal for the 2022-23 fiscal year in parliament on Thursday, he said the government would give importance to the skill development of young women, especially in professional and technical fields.
He said the government would consider different activities on a priority basis, such as adopting effective and robust institutional strategies for gender equality and women empowerment, and allocating adequate funds and manpower to bring gender issues into the mainstream.
Kamal said microcredit activities were being carried out to improve the socio-economic condition of rural poor and helpless women for poverty alleviation and affording opportunities for self-employment.
He said loan disbursement was going on in 488 upazilas of 64 districts on a revolving basis with the allotted funds.
ALSO READ: Budget FY23: Allowance for 3.57 lakh more people with disabilities
Following the commitments articulated in the Eighth Five Year Plan, the government was implementing various development activities to enhance the human capacity of women as well as their participation in economic activities and entitlements to benefits, the minister said.
He said the government was also giving importance to providing essential healthcare; ensuring availability of food and nutrition; and ensuring access to education, training, and development of children.
Kamal further said the government had given importance to five areas in the budget to implement its strategic objectives for women empowerment and children’s welfare.
“These are food assistance for vulnerable mothers programmes; mother and child benefit programmes on life-cycle basis; child development centres and adolescent empowerment programmes; technical, vocational, income-generating and productive training for women; and prevention of violence against women.”
