HPM Sheikh Hasina inaugurates electronic payment system for safety net allowances

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the electronic payment system G2P (Government to Person) for disbursement of the allowances of Social Safety Net (SSN) programs for marginalized people including elderly and physically challenged persons and widows.

Under the system, more than 6.6 million beneficiaries would directly draw the money every month from banks after getting message of allowance through mobile apps and biometric verification.

The system will end ghost payments of the benevolent program of the government, ensuring the beneficiaries getting allowance within a timeframe every month without any role of any middleman.

The government during the current fiscal has allocated Taka 4,317 crore for SSN programs to be distributed by the Ministry of Social Welfare among transgender people, Bedes (gypsy), Harijans, tea garden workers and patients suffering from cancer, kidney and liver diseases.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from her Gonobhaban residence inaugurated the digital payment system through a video conferencing with the officials, local public representatives, political leaders and beneficiaries.

State Minister for Social Welfare Nuruzzaman Ahmed also addressed on the occasion from Gonobhaban while Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare Zillar Rahman gave a presentation on the payment system.

Principal Secretary Md. Nojibur Rahman conducted the program from Gonobhaban side while deputy commissioners of Gopalganj, Narsingdi, Kishoreganj and Chapainawabganj districts took part in the video conferencing from their offices while seven more districts remained connected.

Social Welfare Secretary Zillar Rahman said database of 5.1 million beneficiaries were prepared for the electronic payment of the allowances and the record of the rest of the beneficiaries would be completed by December next.

Addressing the function, the prime minister said all the economic and social programs of her government are aimed at welfare of the grassroots people.

The SSN programs were taken to fulfill the constitutional obligation of the government to ensure basic rights of every citizen, which was the lifelong dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Sheikh Hasina said after being elected as the president of Awami League she returned home in 1981 despite having life risk.

She said, “I visited extensively the entire country and saw the plights of the people from a very close range, which motivated me to do something for the welfare of the people.”

Pointing out the social reality of the country, the prime minister said elderly people and women have no honour in family and society if they don’t have any income. Poor parents cannot afford sending their children to school for engaging them in eking out a living.

Terming the SSN program as an outcome of long idea of Awami League, the prime minister said initially the amount of the allowance was fixed to help beneficiaries procuring at least 10 kilograms of rice every month to have their daily meals.

Now the amount of the allowance has been increased as the country’s economy got better over the years, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu had taken Guchha Gram program for the poor and established a 10-bed hospital in every union to provide healthcare services to the people.

In line with Bangabandhu’s vision, the Awami League government, after coming to power in 1996, initiated Ashrayan and Gore Fera programs to give home to the poor, she said.

The prime minister urged the beneficiaries not to be indolent in doing any job after getting the allowance saying the support is only for helping them to find out their means of living, not to be lazy or giving up any occupation.