ISLAMABAD: The federal government has distributed Rs70 billion among 2.8 million people who were affected by last year’s flash floods, whereas scores of people have been pushed below the poverty line in consequence of the devastation caused by the calamity, said State Minister for Poverty Alleviation Faisal Karim Kundi on Wednesday.
Corresponding to the havoc caused by the floods, the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety (PASS) has launched “Dynamic Survey” to ascertain the magnitude of destruction in flood-hit areas, he said, adding that deserving persons would be included in the Benazir Kafalat Programme—to be provided with financial assistance.
Kundi shared these views in a meeting with Ambassador of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Dilsad Senol. The latter called on the state minister.
“Ensuring transparency in cash disbursement, to deprived and under-privileged women, is the hallmark of Benazir Income Support Programme,” an official statement quoted Kundi as saying in the meeting.
He informed the envoy that the BISP had recently released a tranche of over Rs55 billion as first quarterly instalment for the ongoing year 2023 for disbursement among women registered under the Benazir Kafalat Programme, the statement added.
An additional amount of Rs13 billion has been separately allocated for Benazir Educational Stipends, he said.
The minister also apprised the ambassador that Benazir Nashonuma Programme was extended to 118 districts across the country and 169 facilitation centres were made operational, so far.
Kundi further informed that a call centre was set up at BISP head quarters for the redressal of the complaints of BISP beneficiaries.
According to the state minister, instructional videos for awareness and advocacy are also shared on social media platforms on a regular basis with an aim to guide the BISP beneficiaries on relevant matters and to resolve the issues confronting them with regard to cash assistance.
Ambassador Senol noted that floods put “an extraordinary burden on the government of Pakistan in the provision of relief to the affected people.”
She, according to the statement, said the whole world was “exposed to climate changes and climate-related calamities and every country will have to face its consequences, however, the world is still not ready for it.”
The visiting TRNC ambassador “appreciated the Government of Pakistan for establishing diplomatic ties with TRNC and said that over 10,000 Pakistanis are living in TRNC and we feel that very soon cricket would be introduced in TRNC as well,” the statement concluded.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023