KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) government through the platform of Benazir Income Support Programme has embarked upon an ambitious nationwide scheme for social mobilisation and financial literacy of deserving women across the country as per BISP surveyed database, said State Minister and BISP Chairperson, MNA Marvi Memon on Sunday.
Addressing a large meeting attended by the social mobilisers and BISP officials from Thatta, Malir and Sajawal districts, she said Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif is absolutely committed towards strengthening BISP so as to streamline empowerment of poverty stricken women of the country.
"For the very purpose a pragmatic approach has been adopted to ensure that optimum number of deserving women on BISP database genuinely benefit," she said.
MNA Marvi Memon said it is not only that the support money has been raised for deserving women from Rs 1000/-to Rs 1200/ and then to Rs 1500 by the PML (N) government but equal attention is being paid to ensure that no genuinely deserving women of Pakistan are missed out.
"It is with this goal that BISP officials of all districts of Pakistan alongwith social mobilisers pertaining to every union council are being engaged in each province, each district, each UC for social mobilisation of those women already on the BISP approved lists as per survey conducted.
The goal is to ensure that millions of women on BISP database who do not have access to CNICs are first given CNICs and then BISP cards so that their yearly 2014-15 stipend does not lapse.
Next few months are critical for ensuring that maximum number of women approved for cards are not left out simply because of not being traceable," said the BISP Chairperson.
She said the government was cognizant of the fact that these marginalised women are also vulnerable to exploitation and thus the government is making extra efforts to create financial literacy among the BISP recipients.
"It is not only to help them protect themselves against mischievous elements but also be empowered in making proper use of the tools available to facilitate them," said Marvi Memon.
MNA Marvi Memon urged the BISP officials and social mobilisers from all the districts to realise their responsibilities and develop close coordination to safeguard BISP recipients from being hoodwinked by middleman, brokers or any unscrupulous element.
"You must sensitise them that there is absolutely no role of middleman or any person seeking share or commission," she said.
"BISP recipients have to be also sensitised about their easy accessibility to us" through a toll free hot-line number 0800-26477 paving way for registration of FIR against these unscrupulous elements, she added.
The Chairperson said issues related to non availability of national identity cards among the deserving or difficulties faced by them in procurement of BISP cards or its replacement have to be addressed through social mobilisation.
She urged the participants of the meeting to realise their responsibilities as social mobilisers and expedite the process enabling the deserving to get their due rights.
Responding to a query, she said an in-built mechanism exists within the programme to address the issue of bogus entries with equal attention to ensure that genuine entrants are duly facilitated.
Director General, BISP-Sindh, Zafarullah Soomro, Focal Person for BISP-Sindh, and BISP Director for Karachi, Naveeda Erum assured the meeting's participants that service levels in BISP would improve.
They were told that all relevant stakeholders including NADRA officials and concerned authorities are also on board while mapping is underway to ensure ATMs are available in accordance to the number of recipients in each of the taluka and district.
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