Allocation likely to go up by Tk771cr

The government is likely to raise the allocation for the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief in the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 to help the country’s poor people.

According to sources in the disaster management ministry, Tk 10,229 crore was allocated in the budget for the current fiscal year 2022-23. The budgetary allocation for FY24 will increase by Tk 771 crore to Tk 11,000 crore from Tk 10,229 crore in the current fiscal year.

They said that like every year, humanitarian assistance will be provided to the poor people in the next fiscal year also. Every year funds are allocated separately for the victims of disasters like floods and cyclones.

A new project--employment generation programme for the poorest (EGPP) plus--has been launched in the fiscal year 2022-23 for the ultra-poor people. The EGPP plus pilot project is ongoing in seven districts of the country with the grant of the World Bank.

Ministry officials said that marginalised people are benefiting from test relief and food for work programmes. They are also getting financial benefits during natural disasters. The initiatives taken by the government to tackle disasters like storms and floods will continue as before.

According to Finance Division, Tk 9,951 crore was allocated for the disaster management and relief ministry in the budget for FY2021-22. In the previous fiscal year, the allocation was Tk 9,835 crore, but it came down to Tk 9,263 crore in the revised budget.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Dr Md Enamur Rahman told The Business Post, “Various steps have been taken in 323 upazilas, out of 492 of the country, where the poverty rate is more than 20 per cent. In addition, employment generation projects are being implemented in the upazilas where the poverty rate is less than 20 per cent. These projects will continue in the next fiscal year also.”

Mismanagement in EGPP

The EGPP programme was launched in the FY23 to boost the economy by creating employments for the people who became unemployed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. But there have been allegations that the workers involved with these projects are not getting their wages on time.

Workers of EGPP and EGPP plus projects at Dewanganj upazila in Jamalpur have not yet received their wages even after completion of the programme. As a result, workers reportedly gheraoed the houses of the chairman and members of Union Parishad on April 15, demanding due wages.

However, the UP chairman and members claimed that they failed to get the bill from department concerned despite repeated attempts. They also blamed the ‘negligence’ of the project implementation officer (PIO) for this. The UP chairmen have lodged complaint to the upazila nirbahi officer on April 15 against the PIO alleging negligence and harassment.

The workers of EGPP and EGPP Plus projects of Chukaibari, Pararampur and Char Amkhawa unions under Dewanganj upazila also have not received their wages along with their dues even 76 days after completion of the programme.

Majnur Rahman, PIO of EGPP at Bakshiganj upazila, told the reporters, “The EGPP plus pilot project is going on in seven districts of the country. The bill has not been released in none of those districts on time.”

Dewanganj UNO Kamrunnahar Shefa said, “The chairmen delayed submitting the bills. That is why payment of the wages is being delayed. Even then outstanding dues of EGPP has been paid, the bill of EGPP Plus will also be paid.”