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 1.6 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 at Latibabad Union in Kishoreganj Sadar, after which it will be expanded in phases to all upazilas and unions across the country by the end of October, Zahid 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 carried out in 56 locations across the country before the nationwide rollout. Minor data collection issues were identified in Jashore and Kalmakanda in Netrokona but have since been resolved.
The remaining 54 pilot projects were implemented successfully, with the rate of fraudulent cases remaining below three percent, he said.
Describing the initiative as a dynamic social registry-based programme, Zahid said beneficiaries' information would be updated regularly to reflect 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 database will also be reviewed and updated every month to include eligible families and remove ineligible ones.
He said beneficiaries would be selected solely on the basis of eligibility, without discrimination based on religion, ethnicity or political affiliation.
The minister said the programme aims not only to provide financial assistance but also to help families become self-reliant.
Women in beneficiary 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.
"This initiative will strengthen women's economic empowerment while contributing to poverty reduction in rural areas," Zahid said.
The programme's impact will be monitored through independent evaluations involving the Finance Division, the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), and researchers from local and international universities.
Zahid said he hoped an initial impact assessment could be conducted within six months of the programme's launch.
He said a three-tier monitoring mechanism had been established to oversee data collection, verification and approval, with committees at the union, upazila, district, divisional and national levels.
Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs), Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and the Cabinet Committee will supervise implementation at their respective levels.
The minister added that the data would be cross-checked with the Ministry of Finance and other relevant agencies to prevent duplication of social benefits and ensure transparency, accountability and technology-driven management throughout the programme.