Watch out

The government should design long-term support programmes to support pandemic victims.

Nearly two months after announcing financial support for half a million low-income families that have lost life or livelihood due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the government has finally prepared guidelines for its distribution. The government plans to support daily wage workers, agriculture labourers, rickshaw pullers, public transport labourers and families that lost sole breadwinners to the pandemic. For receiving support, applicants are expected to apply through the local level, after which different arms of the government work together to identify the beneficiaries. That sounds like a well-thought-out plan at first glance.