NADRA'S smart card to benefit over 2.1 million federal govt pensioners

The government under the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari has announced a Smart Card Scheme for all the federal govt pensioners majority of them elderly citizens including retired army personals, meeting their long awaited demand.

"The smart card would benefit over 2.1 million federal government pensioners including retired army personnels across the country and this project would be completed jointly by the Ministry of Finance and National Database Registration Authority (NADRA)," Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Senator Salmeem H Mandviwalla told a news conference here the other day. Director General NADRA's Smart Card Project Gohar Ahmed Khan was also present on the occasion. Saleem H Madviwalla said that decision of launching NADRA's Smart Card for federal government retired employees was a big achievement of the present government, which would benefit a large number of the pensioners by utilizing this facility.

"This was the long awaited demand of the pensioners which has been fulfilled by the present government for the relief of the pensioners ", Mindviwalla remarked. He added that the government's disbursement of pensioners through different banks and post offices would also continue side by side of the NADRA's smart card on the choice of the pensioners. He said that the one smart card of a pensioner would cost Rs.1500 and the Finance Ministry and NADRA would borne the cost on 50:50 basis while the pensioner would get the card free of cost.