Allowances Programme for Persons with Disabilities

The present government has a firm commitment to grant equal rights and nobility to people with disabilities. In 2001 a law, Bangladesh Disability Welfare Act 2001 was enacted which is a unique deed to preserve the rights of persons with disabilities. In the Constitution, article 15, 17, 20 and 29 upholds the same rights and dimensions for the persons with disabilities with other citizens. Government initiates Allowance Program in 2005-06 fiscal year which is one of the moral obligations towards the PWDs on the basis of the Article 15(D) of the constitution. In the very beginning 104166 persons with disabilities were offered a monthly allowance of Tk. 200.

During the fiscal year 2008-09, 60 crore was allocated for 2 lac beneficiaries with monthly allowance rate 250 Tk. In the fiscal year 2009-10 the total beneficiaries were 2 lac 60 thousands, monthly grant was 300 Tk. and the entire budget was 93.60 crore.

As a pledge to implement the election manifesto of the present government, the number of indigent disabled beneficiaries in Sherpur district was increased to 16017 in the fiscal year 2020-21 and the monthly allowance rate was Tk 750 per person.

Nearly 100 percent success rate  has been attained through the supervision of the elevated  command of the government and the constant  effort of all the officers and employees of the Department  of Social Services.

Present government has taken various measures to ensure greater transparency and accountability for the functioning of the program. To make it more acceptable to the public of all classes the authority amends the existing implementation policies, assimilates local honorable MP and public representatives in the selection process of beneficiaries and forms an acceptable database. In addition to this, all the beneficiaries are paid their allowances by opening a bank account with their own name.

Implementing Department/ Agency/ Office:

Department of Social Services

Initiating year of the program

2005-06 fiscal year

Aims and Objectives of the program:

1. Execution of the constitutional lawful right to the persons with disabilities.

2. Socio-economic progress of the persons with disabilities;

3. Bringing vulnerable persons with disabilities under the Social Safety Net.

4. Following the set rules, formal authority selects the persons with disabilities and they will provide monthly allowance.

5. The agenda regarding the persons with disabilities is included in the National Action Plan.

 Definition:

'Person with Disabilities' is a person, with a disability of any kind described in Section 3 of the Rights and Protection of “Persons with Disabilities Act, 2013”;

Standards of beneficiary selection:

1. The applicant must be disabled according to the definition of “Rights and Protection of persons with Disabilities, Act 2013”;

2. During selection the socio-economic status of the applicant should be taken into consideration.

3. Elderly persons will be given more Priority.

4. Landless and homeless persons will be paid more concern in obtaining allowances;

5.  Prioritize women with disabilities;

6. Importance should be given to multi-dimensional persons with disabilities;

7. Priority should be given to the more poverty stricken and relatively underdeveloped or remote areas regarding the nominations of the new allowances.

8. Concern should be given to autistic child (relaxation of age) and persons with complete vision impairment for treatment.

 Eligibility and conditions of allowance recipient:

1. Be a permanent resident of the area concerned;

2. According to the Right and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2013, registration and identity card should be obtained from the social services office. Persons with disabilities will receive registration and identity card from his or her home district;

3. Persons with disabilities whose annual income is not more than 36000 TK.

4. The applicant must be acutely handicapped in financial status;

5. All types of disabled persons over the age of six should be considered as a nominee for allowance;

6. Must be selected by the selection committee.

 Incapability to receive allowance:

1. If the person is a public servant or a pensioner as a public servant;

2. Paid constant government grants;

3. Consistently financed from a non-governmental organization or social welfare organization.

Upazila wise statistics:

Sr. No.

Number of beneficiary till 

2020-21 financial year

Sherpur Sadar Upazila

Nakla Upazila

Nalitabari Upazila

Jhenaigati Upazila

Sreebordi Upazila

Sherpur Municipality

In total

 Chronological increase in allowance: