RANGPUR, Sept 23, 2019 (BSS) – The government has successfully eradicated
the decades-old seasonal extreme poverty like situation, generally known as
‘monga’, permanently from greater Rangpur region in last ten years.
Officials and experts said the poor, mainly farm-labourers, led miserable
life due to joblessness situation during the seasonal lean period of ‘Aswin’
and ‘Kartik’ months every year before beginning of harvesting T-Aman rice
crop even a decade ago.
However, implementation of the government’s massive social safety-net and
other programmes has created self-employment and job opportunities for income
generating activities (IGAs) relieving the poor from extreme poverty.
Talking to BSS, Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md. Zakir
Hossain said the poor are leading normal life during this seasonal lean
period of ‘Aswin’ and ‘Kartik’ months for the 11th consecutive time this
year.
“Successful execution of social safety-net programmes, providing training
and easy-term loans to the poor and youths for IGAs along with other efforts
have improved living standard of the poor,” he said.
The Test Relief, Food for Work, Works for Taka, VGD, VGF and Employment
Generation for the Poorest, ‘Asrayan’ and Cluster Village projects, training,
microcredit and allowances effectively improved livelihoods of the poor.
Agriculturist Dr. Md. Abdul Mazid, who got the Independence Award (food
security category), last year, lauded the government for continuing social
safety-net programmes to resist reappearance of extreme poverty.
“Popularisation of short duration T-Aman rice farming and its early harvest
from late ‘Aswin’ to ‘Kartik’ months are also creating huge jobs helping the
poor farm-labourers to earn better livelihoods in overcoming poverty,” he
added.
Deputy Director of the Department of Social Services (DSS) Abdul Matin said
the department distributed about Taka 1,000 crore allowances among 1.23-lakh
beneficiary people in Rangpur alone in last ten years improving their living
standard.
Deputy Director of the Department of Youth Development Dilgir Alam said
35,500 unemployed youths got training and some 10,000 of them got interest
free loans to become self-reliant through IGAs in Rangpur in last ten years.
Besides, the ‘Amar Bari-Amar Khamar (ABAK) project and Palli Sanchoy Bank
(PSB) have already improved livelihoods of around one-lakh rural poor
families improving their living standard in Rangpur district alone.
District Coordinator of the ABAK project and PSB for Rangpur Jahadul Islam
said the poor families are changing fortune through IGAs, enterprises,
businesses, animal husbandry, poultry and other activities with the project
assistance.
Chairman of Rangpur-based Northbengal Institute of Development Studies Dr.
Syed Samsuzzaman said economic vulnerability of the rural people has
substantially reduced improving living standard in last ten years.
“As a result of achieving self-reliance by many rural poor, including women,
through IGAs with government assistance, extreme poverty has already
disappeared from greater Rangpur region,” Samsuzzaman said.
Earlier, anyone could easily find housemaids even a decade ago in greater
Rangpur region as many poor families led miserable life for lack of jobs and
livelihoods during seasonal lean periods, especially in riverine char areas.
“However, none can now find domestic help anywhere in the region now even
by giving better monthly salary in addition to meals, clothing and medical
facilities following improved life standard of the poor in last ten years,”
Samsuzzaman added.
Chilmari upazila Chairman Shawkat Ali Sarker, Bir Bikram, said eradication
of extreme poverty is one of the biggest successes achieved by the government
led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina improving living standard of the poor in
Rangpur region.