Egyptian government approves smart card system for fuel subsidies

The Egyptian government has recently approved a new smart card system for subsidized fuels, originally proposed by the ministries of finance and petroleum.

The program, designed to ensure that those in most need of these subsidizes are indeed those who receive it, would charge the ministries of petroleum and mineral resources with implementing and overseeing the new smart card program for the National Bank of Egypt and Ahly banks.

In this process, contracts were awarded to both government banks without a bidding process, in order to quickly implement the new laws to take hold in April, Daily News Egypt reports.

Logistically, daily transfers will be made to companies producing petroleum products and will be represented in the difference in price for fully and partially subsidized fuel for the amount consumed through the smart card program. A database of beneficiaries will also be created.

Many distribution programs like this take off without a hitch, but there are also those that encounter resistance along the way.

Reported in BiometricUpdate.com, a system in India has been implemented which sees the production and distribution of biometric food ration cards, though members of an indigenous group have demanded the withdrawal of the cards, citing irregularities and complications in obtaining food.

Article Topics

banking  |  biometric cards  |  biometric database  |  biometrics  |  commercial applications  |  financial services  |  government purchasing  |  social security