Following the successful completion of its pilot phase, the government will officially launch the Family Card programme on August 16 in Kishoreganj, aiming to bring around 1.60 crore families under the scheme over the next four years, Social Welfare Minister AZM Zahid Hossain said on Thursday.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the programme in Latibabad Union in Sadar upazila of the district, after which it will be expanded in phases to all upazilas and unions across the country by the end of October, he told reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on the Family Card programme at the Ministry of Finance.
The meeting was chaired by Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.
The minister said pilot projects were implemented in 56 areas across the country before the programme's nationwide rollout. Minor data collection issues were identified in Jashore and Kalmakanda of Netrokona, but those have since been resolved.
The remaining 54 pilot areas were implemented successfully, with the rate of fraudulent cases remaining below 3 percent, he added.
Zahid said the Family Card programme is a dynamic social registry-based scheme, allowing beneficiaries' information to be updated regularly in line with changes in their socio-economic conditions.
"If a family moves out of poverty or falls back into financial hardship, the registry will be updated accordingly," he said.
To ensure transparency and accurate beneficiary selection, public hearings will be held at the union level after data collection, the minister said, adding that the information will be reviewed and updated every month so that eligible families are included while ineligible ones are excluded.
No discrimination will be made based on religion, ethnicity or political affiliation, and beneficiaries will be selected solely on eligibility, he said.
Zahid said the government's objective is not only to provide financial assistance but also to help beneficiary families become self-reliant.
Women in recipient households will be encouraged to use the support for children's education, nutrition and healthcare, as well as income-generating activities such as poultry farming, tree plantation, cottage industries, tailoring and small businesses, he said.
"This initiative will strengthen women's economic empowerment while contributing to poverty reduction in rural areas," the minister said.
The programme's impact will be monitored regularly through independent evaluations involving the Finance Division, the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), and researchers from local and international universities, he said.
Zahid also expressed hope that an initial impact assessment could be conducted within six months of the programme's launch.
A three-tier monitoring mechanism has been established to oversee data collection, verification and approval, he said.
Separate committees will operate at the union, upazila, district, divisional and national levels, with Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and the Cabinet Committee supervising implementation at their respective levels.
The data will be cross-checked with the Ministry of Finance and other relevant agencies to prevent individuals from receiving multiple social benefits, ensuring transparency, accountability and technology-driven management throughout the programme, said the minister.