Editorial
Social safety net funds politicalised?
Empower the local government bodies to distribute these
If the present government can be credited with any new undertaking to alleviate poverty, then the safety net programme constitutes the centrepiece of it. But ever since its initiation, we have noticed some irregularities in the distribution of allocations which is why the benefits of the programme have yet to reach the most vulnerable target groups.
In a recent meeting at the Jatiya Press Club on the necessity of accountable local governance, UP chairmen and members of several unions alleged that rampant politicisation of the safety net fund is largely behind the irregularities in distribution. Using their political clout, local ruling party leaders meddle in the dispensation of the fund by superseding the local government representatives. All too predictably then, the fund is distributed largely on political consideration.
Thus, need and vulnerability do not seem to be the sole criteria for selecting individuals to whom the fund should go. This is an abysmal situation, to say the least. As we know it, the social safety net was introduced to safeguard the marginalised groups against poverty, hunger and extreme medical conditions. However, thanks to the meddlesome ruling party elements; such a highly appreciable government initiative has turned into another political farce, depriving the poor for whom the fund was meant in the first place.
Politicisation has already heavily dented the image of the ruling alliance. Intervention of its local leaders in the distribution of social safety net funds has been brought to light and this will have to be addressed.
We strongly recommend that the government dispense with the local party leaders and empower the UP chairmen and members to make sure that the fund reaches the poorest social groups. The government would also do well to assign a separate monitoring cell to look after the distribution process.
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