Tech-driven beneficiary list to ensure transparency in social safety net
Sharmin S Murshid, Adviser to the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, has announced the launch of a technology-driven initiative to ensure transparency in identifying genuine beneficiaries of the government's old-age allowance programme.
"We have taken the initiative to create an accurate, technology-based list of actual beneficiaries for the first time under the social security programme of the Ministry of Social Welfare," she said. "This will be a milestone step for the interim government, ensuring that allowances reach only those who truly qualify after proper verification and selection. We aim to make the Ministry of Social Welfare a model of transparency and efficiency."
She made the remarks at the inauguration ceremony of the list and information update programme (first phase) for old-age allowance beneficiaries from eight upazilas, held at the ministry's conference room in Dhaka on Tuesday.
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The open discussion on updating the list of old-age allowance recipients was attended by Social Welfare Secretary Dr Mohammad Abu Yusuf; Professor Dr Abu Yusuf of the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka; additional secretaries from various ministries; the Director General of the Department of Social Services; deputy commissioners; upazila nirbahi officers; district social service officers; and beneficiaries from the eight pilot districts, who joined via Zoom.
The adviser noted that since the introduction of the old-age allowance in FY1997–98 with 4 lakh beneficiaries, the number has grown to 61 lakh nationwide. "The government allocates a significant budget each year for social security, yet many poor citizens remain outside its coverage due to irregularities in beneficiary selection and distribution," she said.
To address this, a pilot project has begun in eight upazilas to update and verify the list of genuine beneficiaries. The initiative will later be expanded across the country in phases.
Sharmin S Murshid emphasised that eligibility verification will include confirmation of citizenship and national ID accuracy. "Those found ineligible will be excluded, while new qualified beneficiaries will be added," she directed.
The update will be conducted through biometric registration under the Management Information System (MIS), and a transparent list will be prepared using the Proxy Means Test (PMT) score. The system will also help assess administrative capacity, financial implications, and streamline future nationwide verification and selection procedures.
The pilot upazilas under the first phase are Mehendiganj (Barishal), Shyamnagar (Satkhira), Tahirpur (Sunamganj), Gauripur (Mymensingh), Taraganj (Rangpur), Niamatpur (Naogaon), Ramgarh (Khagrachhari), and Kapasia (Gazipur).
