The Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) has noted public concerns regarding the removal of some beneficiaries from the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) programme.
Principal Public Relations Officer, Glenda Nachinga says that the Ministry wishes to assure the public that the SCT programme operates under clear, transparent, and well-established procedures designed to ensure that support reaches the most vulnerable members of society.
Ms Nachinga explains that the beneficiary inclusion and removal are not arbitrary but follow structured processes, including socio-economic assessments, community validation, and periodic reviews.
She says that the SCT programme uses a rigorous, data-driven and community-validated targeting system.
"Eligibility is based on clearly defined criteria, including households headed by the elderly, chronically ill individuals, children, women, or persons with disabilities. These households undergo socio-economic assessments to confirm vulnerability," says Ms Nachinga.
The officer adds that community validation further strengthens the process by allowing local structures to verify beneficiary lists, enhancing transparency and public trust.
"The programme maintains high targeting accuracy, with minimal inclusion errors compared to global benchmarks" says Ms Nachinga adding that the programme also applies a household-based approach, enrolling only one qualifying beneficiary per household. She further says the use of the National Registration Card (NRC) as a unique identifier helps prevent duplication and fraud.
Ms Nachinga points out that the beneficiary status is reviewed periodically through monitoring and verification processes. She adds that removal may occur under specific conditions, including:
1. Duplicate registration within a household;
2. Changes in household circumstances affecting eligibility;
3. Detection of duplicate or inconsistent records;
4. Failure to meet criteria during reassessment;
5. Death of a qualifying household member without an eligible replacement.
"In such cases, safeguards are applied, including transition support and reassessment where appropriate" says Ms Nachinga.
She also explains that the Ministry has also strengthened oversight systems, particularly with the introduction of digital payments, to prevent misuse and ensure benefits reach intended recipients.
Ms Nachinga reiterates that the SCT programme provides for continuous registration throughout the year for eligible households not yet enrolled.
"The Ministry remains committed to ensuring that all qualifying individuals are progressively included," she emphasizes adding that for those with concerns or complaints, formal grievance redress mechanisms are available to ensure all cases are handled fairly and transparently.
Ms Nachinga further says the Ministry is reviewing the concerns raised and will take appropriate administrative action if any irregularities are identified.
"A comprehensive update will be provided once the review process is complete," she says adding that the Ministry remains committed to upholding integrity, fairness, and accountability in the implementation of the Social Cash Transfer programme and all social protection initiatives.
No comments:
Post a Comment