KARACHI, Oct 15 (APP): Chairperson Benazir Income Support Program Senator Rubina Khalid on Tuesday, held key meetings with Sindh ministers and provincial legislators to discuss matters related to expansion of BISP program and its outreach as well as addressing the challenges faced by beneficiaries.
Senator Rubina Khalid along with other senior officials of BISP held a meeting with Chairman Public Accounts Committee of Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmad Khuhro at Sindh Assembly building. General Secretary PPP Sindh Waqar Mehdi, provincial President PPP Ladies wing Sindh Shagufta Jumani, women MPAs and other office bearers of PPP women wing attended the meeting.
During the discussion, the Chairperson said that BISP was providing financial assistance to deserving families and now we are focusing on skill development of young members of registered families to ensure their self-reliance.
She said that BISP was the vision of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto that was realized by President Asif Ali Zardari. The unique social security program not only provided financial assistance to women folk but also secured their identity in the national database, she added.
It was clear directives of President Asif Ali Zardari that BISP beneficiaries should get the entire amount of quarterly stipend without any deduction and they must be dealt with respect by the BISP officials at all the centers across the country, she said adding that strict actions had been taken on such complaints against the involved persons.
She emphasized the need of imparting awareness to the masses regarding BISP programs and registration criteria to dispel the misconceptions and said that efforts were underway to enhance outreach of BISP through training programs.
She said that BISP data was integrated with NADRA and FBR database while steps were being taken to link it with data of provincial Excise departments. She said that bio-metric verification was made mandatory to ensure that only registered beneficiary could get the stipend amount.
BISP was reviewing the possibilities of ensuring direct disbursement of quarterly financial assistance into bank accounts of beneficiaries and meetings had been held in the regard with State Bank of Pakistan and other stakeholders, she informed adding that there were 17,000 bank branches across the country and it would facilitate the beneficiaries.
Nisar Khuhro, said at the occasion that, Pakistan is taking concrete measures for poverty alleviation and assistance of deserving population was continue but more efforts were required to enhance the outreach of BISP to more deserving families. He also assured complete cooperation by his party and government in the regard.
Waqar Mehdi, Shagufta Jumani, Shida Rehmani, Qasim Siraj Soomro and other women legislators termed the BISP as an exemplary social security program and stressed on expanding its outreach, making the disbursement and registration processes easier, improvement in behaviour of BISP staff and removal of middleman.
They stressed that registration facilities should be enhanced by expanding them to union council level and imparting awareness to masses. They also suggested that a detailed survey of all areas of the province should be conducted and women should be provided skill development training in relevant fields while keeping the local factors in view.
Earlier, the BISP chairperson accompanied with other high officials of the program held a meeting with Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani. Both the sides discussed matters pertaining to better service delivery to beneficiaries and expressed their determination to work together for the eradication of poverty and promotion of education and vocational training.
Rubina Khalid appreciated Sindh government for extending assistance as to issuance of birth certificates to citizens and said that it has helped a number of deserving families in registration with BISP. She said that BISP is vision of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and it was our responsibility to further improve the program.
She sought cooperation of Sindh government for establishment of BISP offices in the province. On which Saeed Ghani assured his full cooperation in this regard.