Prime
Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi today chaired a meeting on Benazir Income Support
Programme at Prime Minister’s Office.
The meeting
was attended by Chairperson BISP Ms. Marvi Memon, Secretary to Prime Minister
Mr. Fawad Hasan Fawad, Secretary BISP Mr. Omar Hamid Khan and senior officers
of BISP.
The Prime
Minister was briefed about various initiatives being undertaken under the
umbrella of BISP including the unconditional cash transfer program and the
Waseela-i-Taleem program that has so far benefited 5.6 million families and 1.8
million children respectively.
The Prime
Minister was informed that the international community, donors and
developmental partners including ADB, WB and DFID have reposed confidence on
the transparency and effectiveness of the program in reaching out to the
poorest of the poor and helping them break shackles of poverty.
The meeting
was informed that after successful completion of Pilot Phase in four districts
and Door-to-Door survey in ten districts, National Socio-economic Registry
(NSER) survey would be rolled out in the remaining districts of the country in
February 2018 and would be completed by May 2018.
The Prime
Minister directed BISP to chalk out a comprehensive graduation strategy
enabling and equipping the cash grantees to earn their own livelihoods.
The Prime
Minister also approved a proposal for setting up of the Endowment Fund for the
BISP that would ensure fiscal continuity in lean budgetary periods and would
act as a catalyst in generating income for supporting various development
schemes on fund structure.
