Free SIM cards given out by the government - what is their motive?

I am a frequent traveler. On two separate occasions, upon landing in my destination country I was handed a free SIM card with some mobile data on it. Once this happened near the exit of the airport, but once it happened right next to the passport control booths and later when I inserted the SIM in my phone it greeted me by name, so clearly they had linked it to my identity.

Are they doing this so that they can …

airport card control data exit free government landing mobile near next passport privacy sim sim card what is