In the backdrop of Covid-19 situation, the government has distributed nearly Tk26.5 crore among more than eight million people at the district and upazila level across the country under the social safety net programmes. “With the instruction and supervision of the Social Welfare Minister, nearly Tk26.5 crore have been distributed among 8.9 million people at district and upazila level across the country till June amid the coronavirus situation,” said a ministry release on Tuesday, reports BSS. Among the beneficiaries, 4.4 million got old age allowance, 1.7 million got widow allowance, 1.5 million got insolvent handicapped allowance, 100,000 handicapped got education stipend allowance, 5,767 hizras, 10,000 wandering tribal (bedes), 71,000 disadvantage people and 50,000 tea garden workers got allowance under livelihood development programme, 30,000 got financial support for different disease and 97,500 got capitation grant at the non-government orphans. In addition to this, 276,663 got food assistance and money in cash under special relief programme, the release added. About 65 million people get govt assistance amid Covid-19. A total of 65,293,720 people across the country have so far received government’s assistance, including relief materials, amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. According to the information received from the district administrations of 64 districts, as of Monday, 2,01,417 metric tons of rice has so far been allocated across the country while 1,68,000 metric tons has been distributed among about 14.7 million families, an official handout said on Tuesday afternoon. “The number of total beneficiaries rose to nearly 65.3 million people till date,” the handout said, adding that the government has so far allocated over Tk116 crore in cash while about Tk78.02 crore has already been distributed among over 4,21, 35, 840 people. A total of Tk25.54 crore was allocated as baby food aid while about Tk20.98 crore has so far been distributed among 6,67,000 families, the release added.
