The government has approved a major expansion of its social safety net coverage, increasing both beneficiary numbers and allowance rates across 15 programmes for the 2026–27 fiscal year, as part of efforts to cushion vulnerable groups against rising living costs.
The decisions were finalised at the 32nd meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Social Safety Net Programmes, held at the Finance Division on Saturday (25 January) and chaired by Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed, according to a press release issued by the Finance Ministry.
Under the Ministry of Social Welfare, the Old Age Allowance programme will cover an additional one lakh people, raising the total number of beneficiaries to 62 lakh. Of them, 59.95 lakh elderly persons will receive a monthly allowance of Tk700, up from Tk650, while 205,000 beneficiaries aged over 90 will receive Tk1,000 per month.
The allowance for widows and women deserted by their husbands has also been increased. Out of 29 lakh beneficiaries, 28.75 lakh will receive Tk700 per month, while 25,000 women aged over 90 will receive Tk1,000 monthly.
The number of persons with disabilities receiving allowances and stipends has been raised to 36 lakh, compared to 34.5 lakh in the current fiscal year. Among them, 35,81,900 beneficiaries will receive Tk900 per month, while 18,100 will receive Tk1,000.
Stipends for students with disabilities have also been revised upward by Tk50. Monthly rates have been set at Tk950 for primary, Tk1,000 for secondary, Tk1,100 for higher secondary, and Tk1,350 for higher education levels.
Under programmes aimed at improving the living standards of marginalised communities, the number of beneficiaries has been increased by 7,000 to 228,389, with the monthly allowance raised to Tk700.
Student stipend coverage under these programmes has been expanded by 3,198 to 45,338 students. Monthly stipend rates will now stand at Tk700 for primary, Tk800 for secondary, Tk1,000 for higher secondary, and Tk1,200 for higher education. Additionally, 5,490 individuals from marginalised communities will receive skills development training.
The government has also expanded financial assistance for patients suffering from serious illnesses, including cancer, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, stroke-related paralysis, congenital heart disease and thalassaemia. Beneficiary numbers have been increased by 5,000 to 65,000, while the one-time assistance amount has been doubled from Tk50,000 to Tk100,000.
Under the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, the Mother and Child Assistance Programme will now cover 18,95,200 beneficiaries, following the inclusion of an additional 124,000 mothers. Each beneficiary will continue to receive Tk850 per month.
Meanwhile, the Food-Friendly Programme under the Food Ministry will be expanded to cover 60 lakh families, up from 55 lakh. Under the programme, each family receives 30 kilograms of rice per month at a subsidised rate of Tk15 per kg for six months annually.
The meeting approved a Tk5,000 increase in monthly allowances for gallantry award–recipient freedom fighters and families of martyred freedom fighters under the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.
It also recommended bringing the monthly honorarium for families of those martyred and injured during the July Uprising, along with the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme for fishermen, under the oversight of the Advisory Council Committee.
Under the proposed expansion of the VGF programme, 273,514 new fishermen will be included in FY27, raising the total number of beneficiaries to 15 lakh.
source: TBS
