BISP signs MoU with PITB to introduce latest IT services

ISLAMABAD: Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) to introduce latest information technology services, to be used by BISP for better beneficiary support analysis and decision making.

Chairman Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), Umar Saif called on Chairperson Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) Ms Marvi Memon. Ms Memon, appreciated the concern being shown by PITB management in different social sector research projects in Punjab.

Considering the profile of PITB projects, Ms Memon suggested to identify correlation and likely mutual working avenues to automate the existing procedures for better decision making process, based on digital data.

She specifically suggested to work in collaboration with PITB on IRIS Technology (newly introduced by PITB) with the help of special device attached with smart phones to identify beneficiaries, satellite imaging system to get poverty score card, Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT), Complimentary Initiatives (CI) feedback or loop closing platform introduction and NSER joint data analysis options.

Secretary BISP Omar Hamid Khan briefed PITB delegation about the existing multiple partnership initiatives of BISP with different stakeholders.

Emphasizing the need of database management, Secretary BISP proposed that the organization may be partnered to utilize the expertise of PITB in the field of data linkages for research and analysis purpose.

The teams in BISP are already working in collaboration with MIT and Harvard teams to introduce modern trends.

To start off the operational partnership it was decided, that BISP educational initiative Waseela-e-Taleem might be taken as pilot project.

PITB has been asked to do sample exercise on the Waseela-e-Taleem to identify potential impact and utility of data linkages.

It was decided in the meeting to share a detail working plan from both sides on the agenda points agreed between the two parties in the start of next month to materialize the conceptual working framework.