The New Nation - Internet Edition

GOVERNMENT has adopted a specially big social safety net programme in the current year's budget to protect the ones who are vulnerable to adverse economic conditions. The money provisioned for spending on the safety net programme will be some Taka 169.32 billion which is some 48 per cent higher than the sum allocated for a similar purpose in the last fiscal year's budget.

But allocation is not enough. Efficient utilisation of the same is what matters under the present circumstances. The money has been provisioned for spending with specific plans in some areas but not spelling out objectives definitely for other areas. Thus, some of it will be used to pay various allowances to the poor and for running a guaranteed employment scheme. Flexibility will remain with the planners to spend the rest of this fund as and when the needs arise. Therefore, it is important to ensure effective spending from the fund not only to mitigate hardships of the poor but also to create employment and earning opportunities for them.

Disbursement of higher allowances and direct distribution of dole such as foodgrain to the poor is helpful. But it is purely consumptive and produces little tangible returns for the economy. The best way to help the poor as well as create returns for the economy is through job creation. The poor are best aided and the economy hedged from inflation and sheer lack of productivity when assistance given to the poor is in the area of creating employment and the means of income for them. The government should target the best possible outcome of its safety net programme for the poor at the earliest on a sustainable basis.