On the first day of the five-day deputy commissioners’ (DCs’) conference that started yesterday (Sunday), the minister for social welfare, Nuruzzaman Ahmed, said at a session that they have asked the DCs to properly implement the programmes under the social safety net. “We never tolerate any irregularities in providing support under the social safety net programmes,” he told reporters after holding a meeting with the DCs during the session of the social welfare ministry at the Cabinet Division.

“The social safety net programmes were introduced for supporting the poor. So, you (DCs) should ensure to provide support to the poor people properly,” he said. “After hearing the recommendations from the DCs, we assured them of raising the amount of the money to be provided to those affected by cancer, kidney, liver cirrhosis and heat disease,” he added.

The minister also asked the DCs to take steps to provide the requisite training to the people of the common gender to help them get jobs. The state minister of the ministry, its secretary and the secretary of the departments concerned also attended the session.

Meanwhile, the minister of environment, forests and climate change, Md. Shahab Uddin, has said that they have asked the DCs to permanently shut down those sawmills that were illegally established in different areas and built within 2km of forests.