Successful eradication of 'monga' has relieved the poor people from the cruel cycle of extreme poverty, which helps the government increase its popularity in the district.
Officials said a comprehensive development along with implementation of massive social safety-net programmes (SSNPs) during the last nine years played a vital role to eradicate the seasonal extreme poverty of 'monga' permanently.
They have termed eradication of 'monga' as the biggest development achieved by the present government as it improved the life standard of common people in the district.
Even a decade ago, 'monga' was a common phenomena here, causing immense sufferings to the poor and farm-labourers forcing them to lead a miserable life during the seasonal lean periods of 'Aswin' and 'Kartik' months for lack of work.
"Following successful implementation of massive SSNPs as a component of comprehensive development programmes, the government has brought poor people out of 'monga' successfully," said Divisional Commissioner Kazi Hassan Ahmed.
The main SSNPs, including Test Relief (TR), Food for Work (FFW), Works for Taka (Kabita), Vulnerable Group Development (VGD), Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF), 'Asrayan Prokalpo', micro-credits, training for income generations, allowances, education assistance and other programmes, have improved the livelihoods of the poor.
"Considering effectiveness of SSNPs, the government is launching an online data-based selection process from this year to avoid overlapping of beneficiaries for eliminating poverty to build a middle income nation by 2021 and attain SDGs by 2030," Ahmed said.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Ruhul Amin Mian said over 4,500 homeless families have improved their livelihoods, sanitation and health conditions after rehabilitation under the 'Asrayan Prokalpo', and their children are now going to schools.
"After rehabilitation of the beneficiaries under 'Asrayan Prokalpo', local government departments provided them with trainings and interest-free micro-credits to make them self-reliant through income generation activities," Amin said.
The Department of Social Services (DSS) distributed Tk 9.52 billion as allowances among 0.12 million beneficiaries under various programmes here in the last nine years to improve their livelihoods, reports BSS.
"We've distributed Tk 3.09 billion allowances among 71,746 senior citizens while Tk 764.00 million among 17,687 disabled people, Tk 1.16 billion among 26,960 divorced people, Tk 569.30 million among 1,312 freedom fighters, Tk 907.50 million as sub-stipends among 1,406 disabled students and Tk 33.20 million among 2,056 other beneficiaries," said DSS Deputy Director Abdur Razzaque.
Deputy Director of Bangladesh Rural Development Board Abdus Sabur said about 53,918 poor people have improved their livelihoods utilising training and Tk 500 million micro-credits were distributed under the "Ekti Bari, Ekti Khamar" project in the district.
"The beneficiary families have come out of 'monga' and attained self-reliance through resource mobilisations, small scale businesses, cottage industries, and poultry and family level farm activities," Sabur said.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Faridul Haque said development works under TR, FFW and Kabita programmes were implemented spending about 7,874 tonnes of food grains while 0.82 million families received 12,392 tonnes rice under VGF programme during the last fiscal year.
District Women Affairs Officer Kawser Parveen said under the VGD programme, about 68,188 tonnes of wheat were distributed among 94,706 destitute women while allowances of Tk 258.20 million among 21,515 poor pregnant women and Tk 10.20 million among 850 poor lactating mothers in the last nine years.
Terming 'monga' eradication as the biggest success, Associate Professor of Begum Rokeya University Dr Tuhin Wadud said implementation of massive development progarmmes, including SSNPs, helps the government achieve the target and increase its popularity.
Chairman of Nohali Union Parishad under Gangachara upazila Abul Kalam Azad Titul said the government has worked properly as per its 2008 election pledges to eradicate 'monga' bringing a positive change in socioeconomic conditions of common people.
Chairman of 'Northbengal Institute of Development Studies Dr Syed Samsuzzaman said the popularity of the present government has increased there through eradication of monga.