Flood Loss, Percentage and Average in a Relief Budget
A union parishad receives a flood-relief budget of BDT 4,80,000. It allocates 35% to food packets, 25% to medicine, and the rest to shelter materials. A food packet costs BDT 1,200 and a medicine kit costs BDT 800. After buying as many whole food packets as the food allocation allows, the officer finds that 20% of the packets are damaged and must be replaced from the shelter fund at the same unit price. Separately, the union has 3,000 affected families, and officials want each family to receive at least one item. Describe the budget, the allocations, the unit costs and the damage problem.
1. Calculate the money in each allocation and the number of food packets and medicine kits that can be bought.
Read the worked answer
Allocations from BDT 4,80,000:
- Food: 35% of 4,80,000 = 0.35 × 4,80,000 = BDT 1,68,000
- Medicine: 25% of 4,80,000 = 0.25 × 4,80,000 = BDT 1,20,000
- Shelter: remainder = 100% − 35% − 25% = 40% = BDT 1,92,000
Check: 1,68,000 + 1,20,000 + 1,92,000 = 4,80,000. ✔
Quantities (whole units only):
- Food packets: 1,68,000 ÷ 1,200 = 140 packets exactly.
- Medicine kits: 1,20,000 ÷ 800 = 150 kits exactly.
Judgement. Both divisions come out exact, so there is no leftover to carry forward. The officer should record 140 packets and 150 kits.
2. How many packets must be replaced, what does that cost, and what is left for shelter materials?
Read the worked answer
Damaged packets. 20% of 140 = 0.20 × 140 = 28 packets.
Replacement cost. 28 × BDT 1,200 = BDT 33,600.
This must come from the shelter fund of BDT 1,92,000.
Remaining shelter fund. 1,92,000 − 33,600 = BDT 1,58,400.
Total items available after replacement: 140 food packets (28 of them replacements, so still 140 usable) + 150 medicine kits = 290 items.
Judgement. The replacement does not increase the number of usable packets - it only restores the 140 to full condition. The real cost of the damage is BDT 33,600 taken from shelter materials, which is the trade-off the officer must report.
3. Compare total items with the 3,000 families and assess whether the "one item per family" goal is achievable.
Read the worked answer
Total usable items. 140 food packets + 150 medicine kits = 290 items.
Families. 3,000.
Shortfall. 3,000 − 290 = 2,710 families would receive nothing if each item went to a different family.
Coverage rate. 290 ÷ 3,000 ≈ 9.7% of families.
Judgement. The goal is not achievable from this budget alone. The arithmetic shows a gap of roughly 90%. Officials should either (a) seek additional funds, (b) treat the items as a supplement to other relief, or (c) target the most vulnerable families rather than attempting universal coverage. Promising one item per family would be a false commitment; the honest response is to state the shortfall and prioritise.