Old Age Allowance
| Old Age Allowances |
Background:
i). The Constitution of Bangladesh in it's clause 15(d) clearly declares to introduce the Social Security Programme. The Constitution spells 'the right to social security that is to say, to public assistance in cases of undeserved want arising from unemployment . illness or disablement, or suffered by widows or orphans or in old age or in other such cases "In spite of constitutional obligation no government had come forward to implement this constitutional commitment. But the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hon'ble Prime Minister, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, during her last tenure has introduced Old Age Allowances in 1998. This is an epoch-making Social Security programme in the history of Bangladesh as well as neighbouring countries.
ii). In Bangladesh traditionally the elders are thought as the guardians and advisers of the society. Elderly people are respected by the family, society and even by the nation. But due to various socio-economic reasons, the traditional values and customs are not maintaining properly. Due to degradation of moral values, the younger population consider the experience and knowledge of the elders to be outdated. Today in many cases youths no longer like to live with the elders. On the other hand, due to their profession they have to go for work in distant places. As a result, the traditional joint family structures have broken down and familial support to the elders have been reduced largely.
iii) Under the above circumstances elderly people, specially the elder population of the poor families have been thrown into socio-economic insecurity. Absence of health care facilities for the elders is another major factor that contributed to their suffering since aging invites new health problems. Elderly poor women face more problems due to aging.
iv) According to Population census, 2001, National Report (provisional) published by the BBS, July 2003 reveals that there are 14,43,140 persons belonging to 65-69 years, 16,26,240 belonging to 70-74 years, 6,15,940 belonging to 75-79 years and 10,76,380 persons belonging to 80 years and above age group. Thus number of elderly population above 65 years of age stands as 47,61,700 persons.
v) The Government has recently taken decision to involve the public representatives in the selection and distribution process of the allowance properly.
2. Government allocated 891 crore Taka in this financial year 2011-2012. The total Beneficiary of this is 2.475 million. Beneficiaries are getting Tk. 300/- monthly per head which is payable in every 3 months.
3. Distribution Criteria of Old Age Allowances:
Age :
The Old Age Allowances recipient must have the age of 65 and above. Age limit is relaxable for the women. After attaining 62 years a woman is eligible for getting the same allowance.
Income:
Old Age Allowances recipient's average annual income must below Tk.3ooo( three thousand).
Health conditions:
(i) Priority will be given to those who are physically infirm.
(ii) Priority will given to Physically handicapped, mentally handicapped, physically and mentally handicapped and partial handicapped respectively.
Socio-economic condition :
(i) Freedom fighters: Priority must be given to the freedom fighters.
(ii) Financial Condition: Chronologically priority will be given to those who are wealth less, homeless, and landless.
(iii) Social Condition : Chronologically priority will be given to those who are widow, divorcee, wifeless, spouseless and deserted from family.
iv) Expenditure status : Priority will be given to those who have no savings after expenditure behind foodstuff.
Non Eligibility:
(i) Government Servants and pension holders will not be eligible to get old-age allowance.
(ii) VGD Card holders destitute women are not eligible to get old-age allowance.
(iii) Recipients of government grants from other sources are not eligible to get old-age allowance.
(iv) Regular Recipients of grants from any Non-government Organization or Social welfare agency are not eligible to get old-age allowance.
(v) Laborer, maidservant, vagrant are not eligible to get old-age allowance.
3. Selection procedure:
a) Application for old-age allowance will be invited through much media daily Newspaper or any other means for public information.
b) Candidates for the old-age allowance must have to apply infavour of Upazilla Social Services officer in a prescribed form.
c) There will be a ward committee and upazilla Committee consisting of two representatives of the local Member of Parliament and in concerned cases one representative of Upazilla Chairman.
3.1) Terms of References of Ward Committee and Upazilla Committee:
a) Ward committee will select the old-age allowance recipients in accordance with the implementation manual of the old-age allowance.
b) Ward committee will submit the list of selected old-age allowance recipients to the upizalla committee for final approval.
c) Upizalla committee will act as appealed body and authorized to approve the old-age allowance recipients.
The year wise statistics of the distribution of the Old Age Allowance since inception is given below:
|
|
Fund |
Monthly Allocation per person (BDT) |
Number of Beneficiaries |
|
1997-1998 |
125.00 |
100 |
0.40 |
|
1998-1999 |
485.00 |
100 |
0.40 |
|
1999-2000 |
500.00 |
100 |
0.41 |
|
2000-2001 |
500.00 |
100 |
0.41 |
|
2001-2002 |
500.00 |
100 |
0.41 |
|
2002-2003 |
750.00 |
125 |
0.50 |
|
2003-2004 |
1800.00 |
150 |
1.00 |
|
2004-2005 |
2603.70 |
165 |
1.31 |
|
2005-2006 |
3240.00 |
180 |
1.50 |
|
2006-2007 |
3840.00 |
200 |
1.60 |
|
2007-2008 |
4485.00 |
220 |
1.70 |
|
2008-2009 |
6000.00 |
250 |
2.00 |
|
2009-2010 |
8100.00 |
300 |
2.25 |
|
2010-2011 |
8910.00 |
300 |
2.475 |
|
2011-2012 |
8910.00 |
300 |
2.475 |
| 2012-2013 | 8910.00 | 300 | 2.475 |
| 2013-2014 | 9801.00 | 300 | 2.725 |
| 2014-2015 | 13068.00 | 400 | 2.725 |
| 2015-2016 | 14400.00 | 400 | 3.000 |
| 2016-2017 | 18900.00 | 500 | 3.150 |
5. Recent achievement of Old Age Allowances:
The present Government has given due attention to implement social safety-net programmes. Government has increased the coverage of the Social Safety-Net programmes in all possible areas. The Department of Social Services under the Ministry of Social Welfare with its limited manpower and logistic support take it as a challenge to deliver the services for the wellbeing of the senior citizen of the country. Monitoring, supervision and evaluation process have been strengthened Some pragmatic and sustainable polices and strategies are taken under the close supervision and guidance of Honorable Minister of Social welfare, and Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare. The Old Age Allowances programmes is also come under the supervision of the Cabinet Committee on Social Safety-net headed by Hon' able Finance Minister. As a result the Department of Social Services has been able to cut a good figure in distributing old-age allowance in the fiscal year -2009-10. 99.95% funds have been successfully distributed among the target group. 32 Districts have shown highest degree of performance through distributing 100% allowance. This achievement is a record under the close supervision of the present government.
6. Impact of Old Age Allowances:
The Old Age Allowance Programme is an epoch-making achievement of the Government. The Old Age Allowance Programme has a positive impact on the recipients, recipients' family and also on the society as a whole. The old people would no longer be the burden of the family they come from and they are honoured as a result of becoming recipients of the Old Age Allowance. The Programme also familiarises the old people with formal banking system. Through this programme the recipients get opportunities to meet the senior public representatives, where they can express their sorrows and difficulties. The Government is gradually increasing the number of beneficiaries along with gradual increment in the monthly allowances.
Planning and Implementation: Cabinet Division, A2I, BCC, DoICT and BASIS
Technical Assistance:
