BISP beneficiaries' utility bills: payment may be made through smart cards

The government is to allow the Benazir Income Support Program's (BISP) beneficiaries to pay smaller utility bills of gas and electricity through smart cards, sources told Business Recorder.
Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh had announced in the federal budget 2011-12 that the social safety nets would be enhanced with investment of Rs 50 billion in BISP to help the poor and the marginalised. This amount may be enhanced, depending on availability of resources.
According to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, BISP is a flagship program of the government aimed at providing a targeted and transparent social safety net for poor people. This, reportedly, has been praised by international financial institutions, for its effectiveness and transparency.
Information provided by the BISP says that since any one payment mechanism ie Pakistan Post money orders, ATMs, branchless banking, smart card cannot provide an ideal outreach, there is a perceived need for a composite payment mechanism in which the suitable payment mode can be applied in the appropriate areas keeping in view the infrastructural deficiencies/constraints. However, all payment modes need to fit into central payment software to be maintained by BISP for payment generation, grievance redressal and reconciliation.
At present, disbursement of monthly cash assistance is being carried out electronically through branchless banking system. In this context, the alternative payment mechanism has already been launched in four districts--Mianwali, Multan, Sanghar and Mirpurkhas--where the poverty scorecard survey has already been completed.
Critics say that BISP has beggared the nation, while analysts term the scheme specific to the vulnerable segment of the society.
It is pertinent to mention here that the government has distributed BISP forms through the lawmakers and there are reports that in some areas poor women were not provided these forms.