Government has increased quarterly cash grant for beneficiaries of Ehsaas Kifalat Programme from Rs5, 000 to Rs5, 500. Announcing this raise in a statement, Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar said this will cost government additional Rs 8.6 billion.
The raise has been given after government recently removed the names of 820,165 undeserving beneficiaries from Kifalat Programme. While we appreciate the step aimed at bringing more transparency in the programme, the raise given to beneficiaries is no more than peanuts. The exclusion of undeserving families from the programme will help save around sixty billion rupees annually, therefore, in our view raise in cash grant should have been calculated keeping in view this saving or at least by Rs 1000 which would only have cost government Rs 17 billion. Ehsaas programme managers must keep in mind that a large number of these beneficiaries have no bread earners and they solely rely on this grant. In present circumstances when inflation and price hike is at record level, it is difficult for these families to make both ends meet on this meagre grant.
Only deserving families should be made part of this programme with the help of NADRA database and steps must be expedited that graduate the poor families from Kifalat programme. Lifting the people out of poverty will provide sufficient cushion to government to substantially enhance cash grants under the programme for remaining beneficiaries.
