The lockdown due to recent wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has hit the country hard again in both monetary and livelihood aspects. Especially the vulnerable groups are losing their jobs and small businesses are struggling to function.
According to a report published in this daily on Wednesday, the government has announced five new stimulus packages involving Tk 3,200 crore to help low-income people. Among the five new stimulus packages, the first package is for day -labourers, transport workers, small traders and shipping workers. In this case, Tk 450 crore has been allocated against 17,24,470 beneficiaries. The other four packages are divided among more classes of marginal people.
The government should make sure that no
irregularities or manipulation takes place in
making the list of vulnerable groups
The government last year, like this year, took various initiatives to help the marginal and other jobless people during the lockdown. Last year, we witnessed that while providing the vulnerable groups with cash aids through MFS, irregularities occurred as the lists of the vulnerable were manipulated by some greedy people in the administration. As a result, those who were in need of aid did not get it. Therefore, this time with strict monitoring the government should make sure that no irregularities or manipulation takes place in making the list of vulnerable groups.
Now it is time to observe how efficiently the government curbs corruption while distributing the incentives from these various stimulus packages. Proper listing of the appropriate beneficiaries and transfer of the cash payments to the ones who deserve should be government’s main priority.
