New Poverty Graduation Programme to be launched

ISLAMABAD, Jan 25 (APP): The Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety has planned to launch a new Rs39 billion Poverty Graduation Programme, aimed at expanding Pakistan’s efforts to move deserving families from cash assistance to sustainable livelihoods.
The four-year programme, running from 2026 to 2029, will be implemented in 25 districts across the country with a strong focus on transparency, accountability and measurable impact.
The Ministry also revealed the successful completion of the National Poverty Graduation Programme in 21 underdeveloped districts across all four provinces, which facilitated the transition of vulnerable families from Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) cash support to dignified and sustainable sources of income.
Under the completed programme, beneficiaries were provided productive assets, interest-free loans, livelihood training and skills development, resulting in the creation of 179,000 new employment opportunities, while 96,000 families permanently graduated out of poverty, according to the ministry.
The Ministry said that the new initiative would be monitored through independent evaluations, third-party audits and an effective grievance redressal system to ensure credibility and transparency.
It said that in collaboration with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, a Digital Social Protection Dashboard had been developed to strengthen reporting, transparency and evidence-based policymaking at federal and provincial levels.
The coverage of the Benazir Income Support Programme has been expanded to 10 million families nationwide.
Under the ongoing Dynamic Registry Survey, four million families have exited the Kafalat programme after showing financial improvement, while 3.6 million newly eligible families have been included.
In line with the Prime Minister’s vision of a cashless economy, payments through digital wallets have been initiated, significantly improving transparency, reducing leakages and ensuring timely disbursements.
Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal has also digitised its individual financial assistance system and enhanced support for orphans, women, persons with disabilities and labourers. To further strengthen accountability, a biometric payment system is being introduced.
It said the wide-ranging reforms have produced verifiable results, strengthened public trust, and ensured that poor and vulnerable families are receiving assistance with dignity, transparency and accountability.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to further expanding social protection initiatives and ensuring comprehensive support reaches deserving segments of society.