New debit card system for Food Support Programme...Robust move to avoid wastage

BY December, the Social Development and Family Services Ministry plans to transition to a new debit card system for its Food Support Programme.

This programme, an income-determined support mechanism, specifically targets vulnerable families who are unable to meet their basic food requirements.

“The programme provides vulnerable families with food support for a period of two years. Also, a standard means test is the tool used to assess applicants to determine who falls under the poverty line and as such are in dire need of support,” said Natalie Walters. She is the manager of the ministry’s corporate communications unit.

Recently the ministry placed an advertisement in newspapers titled, Notice to food card clients. The ministry urges all food support beneficiaries who changed their contact numbers and addresses to contact the nearest social welfare offices and submit the necessary information.

Walters said the programme experienced challenges in several areas in previous years. One of the most prevalent relates to the number of persons who access food support but do not necessarily require that support.

“At the same time, there are reports of a number of people genuinely in need who are often left behind,” Walters said.

“This method and tool are used to ensure that there is a level of robustness to the overall targeting strategy in the ministry.

“This, while reducing errors or bias related to the administration of safety net programmes of the ministry and at the same time minimise wastage of limited resources.”

The intention of the recertification exercise is to update the socio-economic dataset of all food support beneficiaries. This is to ensure the establishment of a standardised system to target people for enrolment in several of the safety net programmes administered by the ministry.

Only people who are re-certified and deemed to be eligible for the programme will be transitioned to the new debit card to access food support.

The ministry will be contacting all food support recipients to arrange the required home visits.

People can also call the ministry’s toll-free number 800-1673 for further information.