BISP signs MoUs for data sharing, promotion of entrepreneurship

ISLAMABAD: Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Monday signed two separate MoUs for its data sharing and promotion of entrepreneurship for BISP beneficiaries here at BISP headquarters.

The MOUs were signed with Inbox Business Technologies and Indus Heritage Trust (IHT) respectively.

According to the understanding with Inbox Technologies, Inbox will create a prototype of a system through which BISP can digitally and securely share the data with different entities while keeping the data ownership and enabling advanced algorithms of data sciences and syndication to make the data more valuable and relevant.

The purpose of the MoU with IHT was to ensure mutual cooperation, collaboration to support and advice on skill development, training and various poverty alleviation interventions and broader poverty gradation strategy implementation for artisans among the BISP beneficiaries in the selected districts.

Chairperson BISP MNA Marvi Memon said that the security of BISP data was foremost and it should not be compromised. She added, “Let’s ensure BISP data is safe and it adopts the latest technology in the world.”

Speaking on the occasion, CEO of Inbox Business Technologies, Mir M. Nasir said that his firm would ensure that all the security protocols were adhered to in creation of the prototype.

For data sharing, BISP will provide the anonymous data and actual in few cases as per BISP data sharing protocols and policy to Inbox for the prototyping purpose only.

Inbox will use the provided data to showcase a web based system prototype for the use of BISP with several high level features.

The features will include new data dimensions created with better dashboards, secure API framework to share the data sets, syndication techniques between different data marts, optimized reporting engine with query builder as well as roles based access for data monetization.

Secretary BISP, Omar Hamid Khan said, “We’re signing two very important MOUs.”      He also hoped that the piloting of the projects would be initiated at the earliest.

The second MOU signed with IHT focuses mutual cooperation and collaboration for poverty graduation. The scope of work of IHT will include designing and organizing special training programs on IHT’s value chain model with BISP beneficiaries.

Moreover, IHT will introduce new marketable designs to BISP artisans and beneficiaries which create more market for products. Ms. Memon termed it as a major development.

She said that the tapping of international market will provide a major business opportunity to BISP beneficiaries.

Ms. Sidiqa Saeed Malik, Chairperson IHT also shared her pleasure and hoped that the partnership will assist BISP beneficiaries to graduate out of poverty. She added, “We look forward to making BISP beneficiaries, entrepreneurs.” IHT will impart e-commerce training to BISP beneficiaries to increase market access.

IHT will help artisans to establish their independent own enterprises, to provide access to credits and it the marketing of their products to reduce exploitation of middlemen.

IHT will advocate for the artisan’s skills and national heritage of Pakistan to develop public awareness of the value and importance of hand made products by poor workers, promote BISP activities in selective events and may utilize ART and Craft Village Islamabad as Venue.

IHT will run a pilot project of training around 50 BISP beneficiaries in selected districts by BISP as a proof of concept for this project.