After June next year, the beneficiaries of the government social security net programmes will not be able to receive the cash allowance in any Mobile Financial Service (MFS) account opened with another individual's phone number.

The Ministry of Finance on 1 April issued a circular in this regard.

As per the circular, from July 2025, the allowances of the social security net programmes will be disbursed only to the MFS accounts opened with the mobile number registered against the beneficiary's National Identity Card.

As a result, the beneficiaries will not be able to receive the allowance in any other MFS account using their relatives' or family members' phone numbers.

The circular says financial assistance of social safety net programme is sent to the beneficiary's own mobile phone through G-to-P system through an MFS account. However, there is a tendency to receive cash assistance in accounts opened against mobile numbers used by others, which often leaves the possibility of the beneficiary being cheated.

The Finance Division has directed that the disbursement of financial assistance under the newly launched social safety net programme must be made to the MFS accounts opened on the mobile phone registered with the beneficiary's national identity card, it added.

If any beneficiary is currently using the phone number of another individual to receive the money through an MFS account, he/she must replace the account using the mobile number registered with the beneficiary's National Identity Card as of 30 June 2025.