BISP expanding programmes thru efficient utilisation of resources: secy

ISLAMABAD: Secretary Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Amer Ali Ahmed has said that BISP is expanding its programmes while prioritising transparency and efficient utilisation of resources.

He shared these views on Friday at the launch of BISP annual reports for the fiscal year 2022-23 on BISP’s key initiatives progress including National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER), Taleemi Wazaif (related to education), and Nashonuma (related to healthcare).

BISP is committed to transparency and its primary focus is on providing additional support to the most deserving families across the country, the secretary said.

He said, increasing financial support to 9.3 million households under Kifaalat initiative to Rs 10,500 per household quarterly, the expansion in the payment mechanism to Kifaalat beneficiaries by increasing the number of commercial banks from two to six, and increasing the number of mobile registration vehicles in the remote areas of Sindh and Balochistan are some of the remarkable measures BISP has taken recently.

“The efficient utilisation of resources would result in an estimated saving of two billion rupees, to be directed to BISP’s core initiatives,” the secretary BISP stated.

Earlier, BISP’s Director General NSER Naveed Akbar delivered a detailed presentation on the annual progress of key initiatives.

On Wednesday, BISP had signed agreements with six commercial banks for the payment of quarterly stipends to Kifaalat beneficiaries. These banks are: Bank Afalah, Bank of Punjab, Mobilink Microfinance Bank, Telenor Microfinance Bank, Habib Bank Limited and HBL Microfinance Bank, he informed.

Previously, the quarterly stipends to Kifaalat beneficiaries were paid through Bank Alfalah and Habib Bank only.

According to BISP, there will now be 15 clusters and six banks providing services to BISP beneficiaries. The BISP, earlier this month, announced to have increased its quarterly stipend under the Kifaalat initiative from 8,750 to 10,500 rupees per beneficiary, being provided to 9.3 million female beneficiaries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024