Govt for cash incentive to 50 lakh families ahead of Eid

The government is planning to give direct cash support to 50 lakh families ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr—the greatest Muslim festival.

An official of finance division said it is not wise to disburse a huge amount of fund without registratering families with the bank accounts.

Several ministries and affluent section of the society are now distributing food aid especially rice to more than 4 crore people across the country, the official said.

It is true that if the cash support starts from middle May and continues for the next two months then it can create some sort of economic activities among small and medium-size businesses, the official also said.

Ministry of food and disaster management sources said the money aid will go directly to beneficiaries through mobile banking account or their own bank account.

In these cases, the local leaders of the Awami League, including the upazila chairmen and members, will not have any kind of authority to influence the distribution of cash support as various allegations of irregularities have been raised against them during the distribution of relief by the government at the local level in recent days.

The finance division sources said they will release Tk 1,200 crore in second week of May ahead of Eid vacation as incentive.

The sources said that the total matter is being supervised by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) adding that five and a half crore people will come under the support programmes if cash assistance is released.

Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Habibur Rahman told The Business Post that as per the announcement of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Tk 1,200 crore will be disbursed next week.

The PMO is directly supervising the programme which is aimed at softening post-pandemic impact of coronavirus. The Ministry of Finance will do other things including disbursement of money.

He said the cash support along with food aid will be given in both urban and rural areas.

So hopefully, financially marginalised people will not go to bed unfed. If more money is needed, the finance department will disburse it, he said.

Earlier, the Prime Minister announced to help the marginalised people and to implement the decision the Finance division and the Ministry of Relief and Disaster Management have started working under the supervision of the PMO.

In this case, the administration has been engaged to identify the poor and destitute people of the country with the help of upazila chairmen and members.

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