Staff Reporter
A national survey will be conducted and poverty scorecard methodology will be applied for the identification of the poor. This was revealed in the Senate functional committee that met Tuesday to discuss problems of less-developed areas.
The lawmakers discussed in detail the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and other social welfare initiatives being launched by the government. Special Assistant to Prime Minister and Chairperson BISP Dr Sania Nishtar gave the committee a complete overview of the programme and shared with them the number of beneficiaries.
She informed the committee that under Ehsaas umbrella a number of welfare programmes such as National Socio Economic Registry, Unconditional Cash Transfer, Conditional Cash Transfer, Nutrition Initiative, BISP Graduation Program were running benefiting hundreds and thousands.
Chaired by Senator Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar, the meeting was also informed that Ehsaas Programme was the future of social protection in Pakistan launched last year on March 27, 2019 with four focus areas and 155 policy actions to reduce inequality increase investment in people and uplift lagging districts. Among those who attended the meeting included Senator Fida Muhammad, Senator Haji Momin Khan Afridi, Senator Rahila Magsi, Senator Kalsoom Parveen, Senator Gianchand, Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen, Senator Molvi Faiz Muhammad, Senator Anwar Lal Dean and senior officers from the Ministry of Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation, BISP along with all concerned. Dr. Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to PM and Chairperson BISP was also present.
Ehsaas has 134 elements and involves 34 Federal Agencies to implement this multi-sectoral multi-stakeholder initiative, she further told. The committee showed interest in Ehsaas programmes and its aim to create human capital development, jobs and livelihoods. However, keeping in view the BISP programme, the lawmakers showed concern regarding recent exclusion of 80,000 beneficiaries from the list.
They were informed that the decision was taken as a result of beneficiary profiling 820,165 beneficiaries who were screened out as failing in the ascertained criteria. It was revealed that 820,165 beneficiaries included 2548 government employees (BS-17 to 21).
With regard to vacant positions at BISP offices across the country the committee stressed the need to fill up 2,067 vacant positions at the earliest. The senate body also recommended that the BISP programme to head towards self-sustainability of beneficiaries and help them start up small businesses. BISP was asked to focus on less-developed areas and instead of allocating funds pro rata; must increase support for less developed areas.
