PR No.152 NOT A SINGLE HOUSEHOLD IN BALOCHISTAN WILL BE LEFT OUT IN THE BISP NATIONAL SOCIO ECONOMIC SURVEY THIS TIME: MARVI BISP STARTS DOOR TO DOOR SURVEY FOR NSER UPDATE IN KILA SAIFULLAH Islamabad

“Not a single household in Balochistan will be left out in the BISP National Socio Economic Survey this time,” said Minister of State and Chairperson BISP Ms. Marvi Memon while launching the NSER pilot survey in Kila Saifullah during an Area Opening Meeting which was attended by large number of local elders and notables. While addressing the gathering, Ms. Memon stated that in light of the instructions of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, injustices done to the poor population of Balochistan during the previous survey will be addressed during the current survey. The present government has taken the initiative of launching a computer based survey instead of a paper one, she added. The total households covered during the previous survey in Kila Saifullah is approximately 30,900 households which does not truly represent the poverty in the region. She explained that other improvements in the survey include data verification through NADRA as well as other agencies. Sharing the success of self-registration approach employed by BISP on trial basis in the district of Nasirabad, she said that against the estimated households of 31,000 covered during the last door-to-door survey, BISP using the desk approach has registered more than 60,000 households which is a remarkable achievement. Highlighting the importance of NSER, she said that this survey is not only for the poor rather the whole country will benefit from this survey. She added that robust monitoring and spot checks will ensure that this survey is done on apolitical basis. BISP has recently launched Door-to-Door survey in 16 pilot districts of all provinces and regions including FATA which include Kila Saifullah and Kech districts of Baluchistan. The pilot phase of survey will be completed by May 2017 after which a national roll-out will be launched during August 2017.

Minister Public Health Engineering Balochistan, Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai in his address appreciated the efforts of Chairperson BISP in reaching out to the poor in the nook and corner of the country. He thanked the Chairperson for the launch of NSER survey in Kila Saifullah and assured his full cooperation to BISP during the exercise.

Director General (Balochistan) provided a brief introduction of BISP activities in the province. He highlighted that the total population covered during the previous survey held during 2011-12 in Balochistan is approximately 450,000 households out of which payments are being made to nearly 240,000 beneficiaries. He hoped that this survey will help in removing the deficiencies of the previous survey and addition of more beneficiaries. Mr. Riaz Hussain, Director of AASA Consulting, the survey firm conducting NSER survey in Balochistan, highlighted that more than 220 people will be conducting survey in the two districts of the province. He also added that data collected through the survey will be useful for national, provincial as well as local government to plan and launch welfare schemes for the poor population of Baluchistan.

Speaking at the occasion, local MPA Ms. Arifa Siddiqua hoped that this survey will prove useful in bringing the province at par with other provinces in terms of development. District Chairman JUI-F Mr. Abdul Khaliq reiterated that we should work together ignoring political and ideological considerations to make this survey a success. He also urged the Chairperson to cover the distant areas of Kila Saifullah. The gathering was also attended by Political Secretary to Chief Minister Baluchistan, Malik Zahir Khan Kakar, President PML-N Youth wing Baluchistan, Sardar Naqeeb Khan Tareen, and Personal Secretary Abdul Wahab Atal among others.

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