Political volatility delays VGF launch
Rafiq Hasan
The government has failed to launch a three-month-long food assistance programme under its vulnerable group feeding (VGF) scheme for the flood-affected ultra poor people in 42 districts as scheduled mainly because of the latest political developments in the country and lengthy bureaucratic procedures. Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was due to inaugurate the programme on August 25 in any of the six worst flood-hit districts -- Netrokona, Sunamganj, Hobiganj, Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj and Sirajganj. In the rest 36 districts, the programme was to start at the beginning of this month. The government yesterday decided to increase the number of VGF cards from 43 lakh to 50 lakh. Sources in the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management said official launching of the VGF programme was suspended as the prime minister cancelled all her tour programmes out of Dhaka in the wake of the August 21 grenade blast at an Awami League rally. Moreover, the local administrations of the districts concerned failed to finalise the list of people to get food support. Food and Disaster Management Minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf however declined to admit the government has failed to launch the VGF programme timely. He claimed the VGF programme has already started in some areas but did not specify where. On the list of vulnerable people to get the VGF cards, he told reporters yesterday, "You know making a list of 50 lakh people for providing food assistance is not a matter of joke. Conducting such a huge programme takes a lot of time and effort." The VGF programme will start in full swing within a week and those who did not get food assistance in August will get it this month, the minister said. The government had earlier decided to issue 43 lakh VGF cards for providing 10kg rice against each card per month. But the number was raised to 50 lakh at a meeting chaired by the minister yesterday. The ministry yesterday also allocated 23,648 tonnes of rice for distribution in 20 districts against VGF cards. Allocation for the rest 22 districts is in process. A total of 1.47 lakh tonnes of rice will be required per month for the VGF programme. The World Food Programme (WFP) will provide 30 kg rice per month to 10 lakh poor families each but not in the same month with the government programme, sources said. Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Dhaka Christopher B.C Lee yesterday met Kamal Ibne Yusuf at his office. He discussed with the minister the new package of Myanmar government to take back home 19,944 Rohingya refugees still staying at two refugee camps in Bangladesh. The minister requested the high commissioner to take initiative to send back all the refugees at the earliest possible time.
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