ISLAMABAD: The government has provided Rs48 billion so far to the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), originally allocated for fuel subsidy, for disbursement to affectees of floods out of the announced Rs70 billion.
While the remaining Rs22 billion is yet to be provided by the federal government, this was stated by the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety in a summary to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) seeking the provision of an additional Rs40 billion to complete its programmed targets during the fiscal year 2023.
The ministry said that the BISP is Pakistan’s premier Social Protection programme which currently covers around nine million families under its Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) program “Benazir Kafaalat”.
The BISP also manages two Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programmes namely, Benazir Taleemi Wazaif and Benazir Nashonuma. The BISP has been allocated a total of Rs360 billion for the fiscal year 2022-23 which includes Rs240.1 billion for Benazir Kafaalat, Rs35 billion for Benazir Taleemi Wazaif and Rs21.3 billion for Benazir Nashonuma programme.
Flood-hit areas: Rs8.39bn subsidy to be provided to farmers
Besides its regular programmes, the BISP also disburses cash assistance to affectees of emergency relief population on the directions of the federal government.
During the fiscal year 2023, the BISP has disbursed Rs70 billion to affectees of floods in notified districts of the country.
In addition, the BISP has disbursed Rs25,000 per affected family to around 2.7 million families under the Flood Relief programme. Total expenditure on account of disbursement under the programme as Rs70 billion as approved by the federal cabinet.
The BISP was provided with Rs48 billion, originally allocated for fuel subsidy, for disbursement to affectees of floods, while the remaining Rs22 billion is yet to be provided by the federal government.
The required amount has been adjusted by BISP through its regular programmes and would need to be provided to achieve the programmed targets for the fiscal year 2023.
In addition, the BISP also requires Rs12 billion to meet the additional budgetary requirement, during the second half of the current fiscal year, to cater for an increase in stipend to Rs831.331 per month per beneficiary for approximately 2.4 million Kafaalat beneficiaries falling in the age bracket of 50 years or above.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023