Cash Aid to Poor: Govt initiative runs into snag over database
In a mock test by the government for providing cash assistance to 50 lakh poor families, many listed national identification (NID) numbers did not match the ones on the national identification database of the election commission.
The cash assistance programme is slated to be inaugurated tomorrow.
"We are receiving lists from the district level but most of the districts are sending them in Bangla, so it is very tough to first translate and then try to match a bulk of the lists with the election commission database," said a senior official of the finance ministry who is involved in the process.
According to the plan, the government will send cash assistance to 10 lakh families every day from May 14 to 18. Each family will get Tk 2,500, Md Shah Kamal, senior secretary of the ministry of disaster management and relief, had earlier told The Daily Star.
"By any means we will try to disburse the amount within that time. In any untoward situation, we may consider other options. But the funds will be distributed before Eid, so that people can buy their food," he said.
He said almost all the numbers they are getting from the district commissioners' offices have no mobile financial service (MFS) accounts, and providers are having to open the accounts after matching their NIDs with the EC database, which takes time.
Of the targeted 50 lakh families, Nagad, a joint venture of the postal division and a private firm, will disburse cash assistance to 17 lakh families.
While the market leader bKash will disburse cash to 15 lakh families, Rocket will disburse to 10 lakh and SureCash to the remaining 8 lakh.
"Operators' technical readiness is also a challenge; some are using the oldest technology. It takes time to check with the EC database and open an account. However, some [operators] are being prompt," he added.
If anyone fails to comply with the targets, the government may move to another (operator) but all funds will be disbursed before Eid, said the official. "It is a high priority project by the prime minister and we need to complete it on time."
The Daily Star also spoke to at least two MFS operators, who have acknowledged the NID number mishap and wish not to be named.
Officials related with the project said in order to remove corruption from the fund disbursement, the government engaged MFS operators to send the funds directly to the families' mobile banking accounts, adding that the MFS operators will have to send the cash-out charge in addition to the Tk 2,500.
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