Govt raises social security allowances, expands beneficiaries in FY27
Monthly allowances for older people, widows and people with disabilities have been increased, while the number of beneficiaries has also been expanded.
The government has increased monthly allowances and expanded beneficiary coverage under several social safety net programmes for the 2026-27 fiscal year, including support for older people, widows and deserted women, and people with disabilities.
The one-time medical assistance for critically ill patients has also been doubled to Tk1 lakh.
Social Welfare Minister AZM Zahid Hossain disclosed the information in response to a starred question from Netrokona-3 lawmaker Rafiqul Islam Hilaly in parliament today (8 September).
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Higher allowances, more beneficiaries
The monthly allowance for older people has been increased from Tk650 to Tk700, while the number of beneficiaries has risen from 61 lakh to 62 lakh.
For widows and deserted women, the monthly allowance has also increased from Tk650 to Tk700, with beneficiary coverage expanding from 29 lakh to 30 lakh.
The allowance for people with disabilities has been raised from Tk900 to Tk1,000 a month. The number of beneficiaries has also increased from 34.5 lakh to 38 lakh.
The government has also increased both the rates and coverage of scholarships for students with disabilities.
Under the revised structure for FY2026-27, monthly scholarships will be Tk1,000 for primary-level students, Tk1,100 for secondary-level students, Tk1,200 for higher-secondary students and Tk1,400 for university-level students.
The number of scholarship recipients has been increased from 81,000 to 1 lakh.
Meanwhile, the number of beneficiaries under the financial assistance programme for critically ill patients suffering from cancer, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, stroke-induced paralysis, complex heart disease, leukaemia and thalassaemia has been raised from 60,000 to 65,000.
The one-time emergency medical assistance for such patients has been doubled from Tk50,000 to Tk1 lakh.
Govt moves to prevent misuse of safety net funds
The minister said the government has taken steps to improve the living standards of disadvantaged and low-income people while ensuring greater transparency in the distribution of social safety net funds.
He said beneficiary information must now be verified against the national identity database to ensure assistance reaches genuine recipients.
This has helped prevent ineligible people from receiving benefits through political or personal influence, he said.
Applications are now accepted online, while lists of poor and disadvantaged people are prepared and updated through open verification committees at union and ward levels.
The government-to-person (G2P) payment system has also been introduced to transfer assistance directly to beneficiaries without intermediaries.
"Under this system, assistance is deposited directly into beneficiaries' bank or preferred mobile financial service accounts, eliminating intermediaries and commission-based practices," the minister said.
He said the government would continue to use digital technology, expand social safety net programmes and strengthen monitoring of beneficiary selection to ensure support reaches those who need it most.
