Social Welfare Ministry launches digital list of old age allowance beneficiaries
Advisor to the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Sharmin S Murshid, has announced that the Ministry of Social Welfare has, for the first time, initiated the creation of an accurate and transparent list of genuine beneficiaries of the Old Age Allowance under its social safety net programmes using technology.
She made the remarks at the inaugural ceremony of the Updating of Information and Beneficiary List of Old Age Allowance under Social Safety Net Programmes (Phase 1), held at the ministry's conference room on Tuesday.
Sharmin S Murshid described the initiative as a milestone step for the interim government, ensuring that the allowance reaches rightful recipients through proper verification. "We want to establish the Ministry of Social Welfare as a unique model," she said, adding that building a technology-based database for disbursing old age allowances would be a landmark move for the ministry.
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The event featured an open discussion on updating the beneficiary list in eight upazilas under a pilot phase. Among the discussants were Dr Mohammad Abu Eusuf, Secretary, Ministry of Social Welfare; Professor Dr Abu Yusuf, Department of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka; additional secretaries from various ministries; and the Director General of the Department of Social Services. Deputy commissioners, upazila nirbahi officers, district social services officers, and beneficiaries from the eight districts joined virtually.
A presentation on the initiative was delivered by Mohammad Nazmul Ahsan, Joint Secretary (Planning and Development Branch) of the ministry.
The advisor highlighted that the number of beneficiaries has grown from 400,000 in FY1997–98 to 6.1 million, reflecting the government's continued investment in social safety net programmes. However, she noted that irregularities in beneficiary selection and allowance distribution persist, leaving many eligible individuals outside the system. The pilot initiative aims to address these issues and will later be expanded nationwide.
The updated data will be incorporated into the Management Information System (MIS) and include biometric registration. A transparent list will be prepared based on the Proxy Means Test (PMT) score to ensure accurate identification and inclusion. The process will also assess administrative capacity and financial linkage for future updates and provide recommendations for nationwide implementation.
The pilot initiative covers eight upazilas: Mehendiganj (Barishal), Shyamnagar (Satkhira), Tahirpur (Sunamganj), Gauripur (Mymensingh), Taraganj (Rangpur), Niamatpur (Naogaon), Ramgarh (Khagrachhari), and Kapasia (Gazipur).
