Thursday 03 Apr
The Ministries of Communications and Information Technology and the Minister of Supply and Internal Trade announced the launch of the "Unified Card" subsidy system in Port Said Governorate, starting April 1. This follows Prime Minister Dr. Moustafa Madbouly's approval of the second phase of the pilot program, aiming to fully activate the unified card system in Port Said.
Extensive meetings were held between both ministries and all concerned parties to develop mechanisms for implementing and activating the unified card system and disseminating the experience in Port Said Governorate. Preparations are underway to launch the distribution of food commodities and bread to approximately 42,000 families in Port Said using the unified card instead of the ration card. This began in March, in preparation for the phased implementation of the "Unified Card" subsidy system in Port Said Governorate, starting April 1st, in various regions and with different eligibility criteria.
In this context, Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister
of Communications and Information Technology, highlighted that the Unified Card
project is an important step towards strengthening the state's efforts to build
a digital economy, utilizing information technology to facilitate citizens'
access to government services, and simplifying and streamlining procedures
related to obtaining government support.
He added that the Ministry has established
the necessary and appropriate infrastructure for the system and provided qualified
technical personnel to implement and secure the system and provide full
technical supervision of the project. The Unified Card distribution in Port
Said, which began in August 2023, is being used to identify and address
potential challenges before wider implementation.
For his part, Dr. Sherif Farouk, Minister
of Supply and Internal Trade, explained that the implementation of the unified
card system for disbursing food subsidies falls within the framework of the
drive to automate services and enhance transparency. The system provides a
package of services to citizens through a single smart card, as an alternative
to current food subsidy cards. This aims to ensure that subsidies are directed
to those who deserve them and enhance financial inclusion. The unified card
contributes to adding flexibility to the subsidy system and governing citizens'
access to subsidies and various government services. He emphasized the
importance of ensuring the unified card system's ability to accommodate any
future services.
Implementation of the new system involves updating the beneficiary database according to social justice and subsidy eligibility criteria established by the Ministerial Committee for Social Justice. Concurrently, an electronic application is being developed to facilitate citizen registration, data updates, and subsidy eligibility notifications.
