ATTOCK
More than 5 million beneficiaries of National Income Support Programme will be unable to receive their quarterly financial assistance in the coming month if the Ministry of Finance fails to release funds.
Funds for the poor under the programme earlier known as Benazir Income Support Programme were enhanced from Rs 70 billion to Rs 75 billion by the present government during the recent budget. As per sources, the present government has changed the name of the programme from BISP to NISP but in fact this could be done only through constitutional amendment as BISP.
As per the sources, the ministry has refused to release the funds for NISP till its name was changed through parliament which seems difficult as so for the issue has not been tabled in the parliament. Some of the parliamentarians sitting on opposition benches raised their voice but to no avail. The programme has been supporting more than 5 million beneficiaries but now these beneficiaries are becoming disappointed.
Moreover, the seats of NISP chairman and secretary have been lying vacant since March and July 2013 respectively. If the constitutional amendment is not made timely, million of beneficiaries in September would be unable to receive their quarterly financial assistance (Rs 3600).