Next Budget to Be Poor-Friendly: Kamal

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the next budget will be specially designed to scale up the poverty alleviation program.

''Our main objective is to bring poor out of financial handicaps. The ultra-poor will be turned into poor while poor to be integrated into mainstream society,'' he said.

He gave intimation that the upcoming budget will see more allocation in the social safety net to give impetus to the government's poverty alleviation policy.

''Our next budget is exclusively for the poor people. The budget will pave the way for creating income and livelihood.''

About the government plan to send Tk 2,500 to each of 35 lakh poor families across the country, he said many of the targeted people are not technologically equipped to receive the money directly.

The government is working to remove barriers to sending money directly to the intended people, he said, adding ''Once a system is in place, we will be able to accomplish our task within a short time.''

Replying to a query, the finance minister said the process of sending money to 35 lakh people will start soon.