1.6cr families to receive cards in 4yrs 

The government is set to launch the nationwide Family Card Programme (FCP) on August 16 following its successful pilot operation, targeting 1.6 crore families over the next four years, official sources said.

The programme will use a dynamic social registry to ensure that only eligible poor households receive benefits through regularly updated socio-economic data.

Social Welfare Minister Dr AZM Zahid Hossain made the announcement on Thursday after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on the Family Card Programme. Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury chaired the meeting held at the Secretariat.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to inaugurate the programme at Ward No 8 of Latifabad Union in Kishoreganj Sadar Upazila.

The government also plans to expand the Family Card Programme in phases to all unions and upazilas across the country by the end of October.

State Minister AZM Zahid Hossain said the Family Card Programme would operate through a Dynamic Social Registry, under which beneficiaries' information would be updated regularly to reflect changes in their socio-economic conditions. As a result, households moving out of poverty or falling back into poverty would have their eligibility status revised accordingly, he added.

He further said that, to ensure transparency, beneficiary information would be verified at the union level so that no eligible family is left out and no ineligible person is included. The government also aims to eliminate weaknesses in the existing allowance and benefit distribution system, he pointed out.

The minister stressed that no one would receive or be denied benefits based on religion, ethnicity or political affiliation, saying the programme was being implemented in line with the government's commitment to building an inclusive and humane state.

Directing financial assistance to female members of households is expected to improve spending on children's education, nutrition and healthcare, while also encouraging poultry farming, tree plantation, cottage industries, tailoring and other small-scale entrepreneurial activities, he added. Such initiatives, he said, would contribute to women's empowerment and reduce rural poverty.

According to the minister, the pilot programme conducted in 56 areas produced encouraging results. Minor data collection problems were identified in two locations-Jashore and Netrakona-but were corrected. No significant issues were reported in the remaining 54 areas, where the error rate remained below three per cent.

From August 16, information collection will be carried out entirely online using a new questionnaire and methodology. The database will then be updated every month to capture deaths, changes in socio-economic conditions and other relevant developments.

To ensure accountability, a three-tier monitoring mechanism has been put in place. First-class government officials will supervise data collection at the union level, while separate committees headed by Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Divisional Commissioners will oversee implementation at the upazila, district and divisional levels, respectively.

A national committee chaired by the finance minister will also monitor the programme, while the prime minister will personally review its progress on a regular basis.

The state minister said the Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Finance would verify beneficiary information to prevent individuals from receiving multiple allowances or benefits. In addition, the Finance Division, the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), and local and international universities will conduct independent assessments to measure the programme's effectiveness in poverty reduction.