PM directs BISP to focus on Balochistan & FATA Farzana apprises Pervaiz about BISP's progress

Posted on 11 months ago

F.P. Islamabad Office
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has directed the Chairperson BISP and Federal Minister Farzana Raja to focus on the less developed areas of Balochistan and FATA in its operations to provide financial assistance to the poorest sections of society.
The Prime Minister was talking to Ms. Farzana Raja, Chairperson and Federal Minister Benazir Income Support Programme, who called on him at PM's House today to apprise him about the progress of BISP operations.
The Prime Minister further directed that provision of 10% discount at Utility Stores to the Benazir Debit Card holders should be ensured as provided in the Budget for the financial year 2012-13.
The Prime Minister said that he would soon visit BISP headquarters to get first hand update on the programme, which is the flag-carrier initiative in the social safety net in the country. He said that transparency and outreach of the Programme to the downtrodden segments of the society was the hallmark of BISP which is manifest from the wide appreciation it has received from the international donors.
The Prime Minister said that BISP has been a major source for poverty alleviation in the country and the government would provide all possible resources to further expand its operations.
The Prime Minister noted that the allocation for the Benazir Income Support Programme had been raised from Rs50 to Rs70 billion in the next financial year to support the poorest of the poor.
Chairperson BISP, Farzana Raja apprised the Prime Minister that the Programme was a major socio-economic initiative of the PPP-led government, providing financial support to six million poor families.
Farzana Raja informed the Prime Minister that poverty survey had been a major success and so far 7 million families had been registered in this regard. She said that so far 0.4 million people from Balochistan had been registered and the survey would be completed in the near future.
Regarding the FATA, the Chairperson/Federal Minister apprised the Prime Minister that except NWA and SWA, the survey is near completion in the area. She said that people are taking interest in the registration process.
The Prime Minister directed that the people of NWA and SWA should also be included in the survey as every Pakistani should have equal right to benefit from the Programme.
Farzana Raja also informed the Prime Minister that so far 1.5 million Benazir Debit cards have been issued under the Programme to ensure transparency at every level.

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