Social Safety Nets to Expand Coverage, Raise Benefits FY27

The government has decided to broaden coverage and increase benefit amounts across major social safety net programmes in the fiscal year 2026–27, aiming to reach more vulnerable groups with higher support.

The decisions were taken at the 32nd meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Social Safety Programmes, held at the Finance Division on Saturday afternoon with the Hon’ble Finance Adviser in the chair. The meeting reviewed programmes under the committee’s mandate and finalised beneficiary numbers and allowance rates for 15 key schemes for the next fiscal year.

Under the Ministry of Social Welfare, the Old Age Allowance will cover an additional 100,000 people, raising the total to 6.2 million. Of them, 5.995 million elderly beneficiaries will receive Tk 700 per month, up from Tk 650, while 205,000 people aged over 90 will receive Tk 1,000 a month.

The allowance for widows and women subjected to spousal abuse will cover 2.9 million beneficiaries. Among them, 2.875 million will receive Tk 700 per month, while 25,000 women aged over 90 will receive Tk 1,000.

The disability allowance and education stipend programme will expand to 3.6 million persons with disabilities, up from 3.45 million in the current fiscal year. Of these, 3,581,900 beneficiaries will receive Tk 900 per month, while 18,100 will receive Tk 1,000. Monthly stipends for students with disabilities have also been raised by Tk 50 at all levels, fixing rates at Tk 950 for primary, Tk 1,000 for secondary, Tk 1,100 for higher secondary and Tk 1,350 for higher education.

The programme aimed at improving the living standards of backward communities will add 7,000 beneficiaries, taking the total to 228,389, with the monthly allowance increased to Tk 700. The number of students from backward communities receiving stipends and merit-based scholarships will rise by 3,198 to 45,338, with revised monthly rates ranging from Tk 700 at primary level to Tk 1,200 at higher education. The programme will also provide skills development training to 5,490 people.

Financial assistance for patients suffering from serious illnesses such as cancer, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, stroke-related paralysis, congenital heart disease and thalassaemia will be expanded by 5,000 beneficiaries to 65,000. The one-time medical grant has been doubled from Tk 50,000 to Tk 100,000.

Under the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, the Mother and Child Assistance Programme will include an additional 124,000 beneficiaries, raising the total to 1,895,200. Each mother under the programme will continue to receive Tk 850 per month.

The Food-Friendly Programme under the Ministry of Food will also be widened, with 500,000 more families brought under coverage, taking the total to 6 million. Each family will receive 30 kilograms of rice per month at Tk 15 per kilogram for six months.

The meeting further decided to increase the monthly allowance for titled freedom fighters and families of martyred freedom fighters by Tk 5,000. It also recommended bringing the honorarium for families of those martyred and injured in the July mass uprising under the committee’s formal mandate.

In addition, the committee proposed including the Vulnerable Group Feeding programme for fishermen within its scope. For FY27, it recommended adding 273,514 fishermen, raising the total number of beneficiaries to 1.5 million.