Staff Reporter
Islamabad
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet Friday approved Criteria and Mechanism for Emergency Cash Assistance to the labourers, whose livelihoods have been affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The announcement was made earlier by the Prime Minister and required the formal approval of the ECC. The meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee was chaired by the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.
The Prime Minister on May 3, 2020 had announced that the funds collected through PM’s COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Assistance Fund 2020 would be used to assist the labourers whose livelihood was affected due to the lockdown and its impact on the economy.
In his announcement the PM had directed that the funds should be disbursed through Ehsaas Emergency Cash program.
The Prime Minister had also announced that for every rupee donated the government should match 4 rupees in the fund. The budget envelop of Rs75 billion released to Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) out of the 200 billion earmarked in PM’s relief package for distribution among labour in the country would be used for this purpose.
According to the statement, the modalities of the disbursement were worked out by Finance Division, Poverty Alleviation Division and BISP.
The BISP Board had approved that in order to identify the beneficiaries for Ehsaas Labour (Category-IV) the eligibility criteria used for Category –III of Ehsaas Emergency Cash might be used.
The applications would be received only through Ehsaas Labour portal for inclusion of beneficiaries in Category-IV.
The cash disbursement of Rs 12000,(one time assistance) would be made to eligible applicants through existing payment mechanism of BISP. Provinces, AJK, GB and ICT would be allocated quota in Ehsaas Labour assistance in accordance with their population share.
