Making SSNPs beneficial to the poor

In an environment marked by high incidence of corruption, largely initiated and promoted by the immediate past corrupt regime, the Social Safety Net Programmes (SSNPs) introduced to the benefits of the poor could not remain immune to the all-pervading pilferage and irregularities. The high-ups in the corridor of power and their accomplices across the country were allegedly involved in such irregularities. Allegations are aplenty that in many cases, benefits did not reach the targeted population as about half of the really deserving people were excluded from the lists of beneficiaries. It is alleged that the lists were prepared selectively with the inclusion of those who served the cause of the authoritative affluent sections of society. This is how powerful coteries grabbed a significant part of the SSNP fund depriving those who really needed it to reduce their miseries to a certain extent. 

Such widespread irregularities in the distribution of safety net allowances are validated by the findings of the committee formed to prepare white paper on the state of the country's economy. In its report, the committee observed that there were pilferage in the SSNPs as 40-50 per cent of the enlisted people were not poor. The fund for the programme started its journey from state exchequer and ended up in the pockets of the well-off sections of society depriving the poor. The Hasina government was for the poor in words only but actually served the interest of the politically and socially influential coteries.

True to its kleptocratic nature, the deposed Awami League government undertook many projects only to misappropriate public money under the cover of development work. The Social Safety Net Programme was one such programme. The UNICEF also found 46 per cent loopholes in preparing the list of beneficiaries. A strong belief among the common masses is that, in a similar manner, a significant part of the relief materials allocated for distribution among the victims of disasters and houses meant for the homeless and other sections of the poor was grabbed by influential people. The head of the White Paper Committee observed that corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen have plundered some 40 per cent of the country's development budgets.

But that is not the end of deprivation of the real SSNP beneficiaries. A pregnant woman, if lucky enough to be in the list, is supposed to get a monthly allowance of Tk800 for 36 months to support her health and nutrition needs. However, amid rising inflation, such a small amount is nothing but an insult to a poor beneficiary as the Social Welfare Adviser observed. The Adviser has rightly raised question over such a farce in the name of social protection. Besides pilferage of SSNP fund, another reason behind drastically low allowances for the poor is that out of the total allocation of Tk 1.36 trillion for the SSNPs for the current fiscal year, Tk 365.80 billion has been earmarked for the pensions of the civil servants and payment of interests against saving certificates and Tk 170 billion for agricultural subsidy. This is how the much trumpeted social security programme has been reduced to a mockery in terms of size of the allowances. Only a small percentage of the country's population living below poverty line benefits from the social safety programme.

Against this backdrop of widespread irregularities, the World Bank is going to provide US$200 million worth of assistance to ensure accountability and transparency in the country's social safety net programme. It is no doubt a good initiative. The WB's support would be used to develop an automated dynamic social registry system through which vulnerable people across the country would be able to enlist themselves as beneficiaries from the safety programme. The fund will also be utilised for schemes under which persons and families at risk will get some livelihood and income generating support in addition to their regular allowances under SSNPs. It is hoped that the global lender's support will strengthen government efforts to reduce vulnerability of the poor people.

Hopefully, the interim government backed by the World Bank will be able to plug the loopholes in listing beneficiaries under the social protection programme and ensure that the benefits will reach the truly deserving people and reduce the level of their vulnerability. Let the safety net programme serve the real poor.

Now it is the obligation of the interim government to bring an end to the deprivation of the poor of their legitimate rights to allowances from the state; it should also stop the process of plundering public money in the name of SSNPs, among others. But reports have it that the interim government finds it difficult to make a flawless list of the beneficiaries since many of the public representatives at the field levels have gone into hiding. Usually, 12.1 million beneficiaries receive their allowances by the first week of October but this time they have not received the money for the above reason. This stalemate is unlikely to go until local level elections are held. However, in the meantime, alternative ways of preparing lists of the beneficiaries may be found out. Whatever be the method, care should be taken to ensure that the really deserving people are included in the list and the undeserving excluded. The authorities should also think over whether it is possible to increase the amount of allowances.

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