ISLAMABAD : Rs 9 billion have been withdrawn by 2.28 million beneficiaries of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) through Benazir Debit Card (BDC). The total amount of Rs. 15.93 billion was released to approximately 4.31 million beneficiaries by BISP for the third quarter January to March 2013 out of which approximately 3.7 million beneficiaries were to receive payment through BDC. In addition to the quarterly payment, BISP released Rs. 328 million for approximately 51 thousand beneficiaries of Thar as a special compensation amounting to additional Rs. 6400 per beneficiary. So far, more than 49 thousand Thar beneficiaries have withdrawn the grants from their respective accounts.
Benazir Income Support Programme is working towards the establishment of an effective Social Safety Net in the country for the poorest of the poor households.
In order to ensure transparency and efficiency in its operations, BISP has adopted scientific targeting as well as payment mechanisms.
This enables BISP to reconcile the data with banks on real-time basis which helps in quick resolution to the problems as well, with an added objective of financial inclusion of beneficiaries of BISP.
The Programme aims at shifting all the beneficiaries from traditional to scientific payment mechanisms in the future.
For the purpose of including more poor households in the Programme, in the famine affected areas of Thar as well as all over the country, a performance management system has been started for the first time in the history of BISP, according to which monthly targets are given to field offices and they are asked to submit periodic reports in this regard.
Because of this approach, the number of beneficiaries from 2nd quarter to 3rd quarter of FY 2013-14, increased from 4.18 million to 4.31 million approximately.
This was against the 4.25 million target set by IMF for BISP, which the Programme has not only achieved but also exceeded because of this new system.
BISP is the organization aiming towards achieving maximum facilitation to its beneficiaries and the tools adopted by BISP are working towards improving the overall status of the beneficiaries as well.
Over the weekend, an unfortunate incident happened in Larkana, where a beneficiary died because of a stampede outside one of our partner banks’ branches.
The BISP management has taken serious notice of this. Corrective measures including improved security cover and increase in number of payment points have been initiated to ensure that such unfortunate incidents do not happen again.
An inquiry in this regard is being conducted and necessary action would be taken against the responsible on the recommendations of the inquiry.
In the meantime, BISP is processing a case for financial compensation to the bereaved family.