Govt. strengthens social safety net programme to cut poverty: Chumki

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroze Chumki today said the prime goal of the government is to alleviate poverty and it is expending Taka 54,000 crore under the social safety net programme to this end.

"The government has strengthened the social safety net programme with an allocation of Taka 54,000 crore, which is 13 per cent of the total budget," she said, addressing a convention at the CIRDAP auditorium in the city. 

The World Vision, the European Union and the Right to Food Bangladesh (RFB) jointly organized the convection on 'Social Safety Net Programme Implementation Policy and Experience', said an official release here. 

RFB and Palli Karma Shayak Foundation (PKSF) Chairman Dr Kazi Khaliquzzaman Ahmed presided over the function, addressed by, among others, Social Welfare Department Director General Gazi Mohammad Nurul Kabir, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Senior Research Fellow Dr Nazneen Ahmed, European Union Rural Development Team Leader Doresy Bose and RFB General Secretary Mahsin Ali. 

The state minister urged the local people's representatives to treat the beneficiaries of the social safety net programme equally and become more aware while selecting them so that none can take extra advantage and none get deprived. 

Chumki said, "Female children remain in a more risky position during flood and other natural calamities. They fall victims to sexual harassment at rehabilitation centers and home during the calamities". 

She urged all, including the people's representatives, to keep eyes on this.

Source: bss