Disaster Management and Relief Adviser Faruk E Azam, Bir Protik, said the government has planned to provide financial assistance for food and livelihood to people living under poverty line under a food and livelihood support programme. “Under the programme the government will provide support to 75,000 families in 75 upazilas for the next three years with total expenditure of Tk 819 crore,” he said while speaking as chief guest at a discussion at BRAC Centre on Wednesday (Oct 16), local media reported.
Each family will get Tk 1,000 for food and Tk 2,000 for livelihood support under the programme, said the adviser at the discussion on ‘Post-Flood Recovery and Rehabilitation Efforts on Multi-sectoral Engagement’. He said the programme will be implemented initially in 75 upazilas, where 50 percent people living in below poverty line and are deprived of nutritional facilities.
Faruk E Azam said that coordinated cooperation is required among public-private organizations, NGOs, microcredit providers and volunteers to deal with natural disaster. He said that young students, volunteers, local people and public and private organizations responded remarkably to provide assistance in the flood affected areas in August.
“Now it is the main challenge to remove water logging from Feni, Cumilla and Noakhali. Steps will be taken soon to restore normal life and livelihood as early as possible by removing water logging from these areas,” he added.
BRAC Chairperson Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman who chaired and moderated the discussion said the challenges that came in forth during flood rehabilitation work included communication, agriculture sector, infrastructure, healthcare service, mental health, life and livelihood.
BRAC Executive Director Asif Saleh gave opening speech, while Director of Urban Development and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Dr Md Liaqat Ali presented the keynote speech. Besides, disaster management and relief secretary Md Kamrul Hasan, Additional Secretary of LRGD Md Nazrul Islam, joint secretary of Finance Division Dr Ahmed Ullah and officials concerned delivered speeches at the discussion.
