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`BISP Saving Scheme’ to change poverty landscape; make people self-reliant: Dr. Saqib

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NNPS Desk
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dr amjad

ISLAMABAD, Dec 14 (APP): Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Dr Amjad Saqib Thursday said that the newly launched `BISP Saving Scheme’ will change the poverty landscape in the country by focusing on savings which can help make the people self-reliant.

Addressing the launching ceremony of the BISP Saving Scheme held at a local hotel, the chairperson said “Like many other schemes of BISP, the Saving Scheme can change the poverty landscape with our focus on savings which is extremely important”.

He said that poverty is like a poison and poverty eradication is the first and prime responsibility of every person on this planet.

The chairperson said that around 150,000 people will be selected under this scheme on a first come first serve basis through Pakistan’s selected districts however the scope of this scheme will be further expanded in future.

The beneficiaries have to save a small portion of their income in their ‘savings accounts while the government will pay additional forty percent of consumer savings which will come in handy for consumers to deal with any uncertain situation and emergencies.

The scheme is for both men and women, he said while urging those eligible to be a part of this scheme.

Dr Saqib said that the objective of the BISP Savings Scheme is to inculcate financial independence and saving habits among consumers.

The savings will be a protective measure to support deserving people during the emergencies when informal economy shrinks and people lose jobs.

He said that BISP is an internationally acclaimed and largest social protection program which has been working for the last 15 years through gaining strength and implementing many pro-poor initiatives.

The primary initiatives of BISP include Benazir Kafaalat, Benazir Education Stipends, Benazir Nashonuma, and Benazir Undergraduate Scholarship however one of the biggest achievements is the creation of the National Socio-Economic Registry which is truly reliable and benefits the deserving ones besides extending support in emergencies.

The chairperson of BISP said that microfinance is one of the most important strategies for poverty alleviation which means the provision of financial services to the poor in the form of credit, savings, insurance, transfer of money etc.

Speaking on the occasion, Additional Secretary BISP, Dr Tahir Noor said that the scheme, as a pilot project, has been launched in Gilgit and Astor in Gilgit Baltistan; Muzaffarabad and Neelum in Azad Jammu and Kashmir; Peshawar and Lucky Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Lahore and Multan in Punjab; Quetta and Qila Saifullah in Balochistan; Karachi and Sukkur in Sindh and Islamabad.

Dr Tahir Noor said that the BISP saving scheme as a hybrid social protection initiative has been launched to support vulnerable communities, making them elf-sufficient.

The hybrid scheme blends social assistance with social risk mitigation elements to promote savings that the vulnerable segments can fall back on in case of shocks.

The basic model is a contributory saving scheme with matching incentives, with a short-to-medium-term horizon for withdrawals.

The World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNICEF, GIZ, German Corporation, Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Security Subsidiaries representatives and senior government officials participated in the event.

The certificates were distributed among needy women participating in the saving scheme through the BISP portal.

AJK PM, Speaker meet Prime Minister Kakar

By
Najam ul Hassan
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MUZAFFARABAD, Dec 14 (APP):Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq and Speaker AJK Legislative Assembly Chaudhry Lateef Akbar on Thursday met with Caretaker Prime Minster Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar here at the Speaker Chamber.

Prime Minister AJK welcomed PM Kakar on his arrival in Kashmir and thanked him for expressing solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir after the decision of the Indian Supreme Court.

PM Kakar said hearts of all Pakistanis beat with their Kashmiri brothers and sisters.

“The struggle of the Kashmiris for their freedom will not be shaken after the Indian illegal actions, but will further strengthen”, the prime minister remarked.

Pakistan committed to ICPD agenda, gender equity: Sami

By
NNPS Desk
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 14 (APP): Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Muhammad Sami Saeed on Thursday said Pakistan was committed to the agenda of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Thailand last month.

Addressing the launching ceremony of two reports jointly compiled by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) here, the minister said “We are committed to the population conference agenda and our delegation to the regional conference made a bit of contribution in it.”

The minister appreciated the research work carried out by the UNFPA and PIDE researchers, adding “Pakistan is the first country in the region to delve into this kind of effort which is very useful for policymakers, academicians and researchers.”
The reports titled “National Time Transfer of Account (NTTA); and National Transfer of Account (NTA)” have been meticulously developed by PIDE in close collaboration with the UNFPA.

The primary objective of the NTA report is to elucidate the intricate linkages between population growth, evolving age structures, economic growth, public finances, and other pivotal facets of the macro-economy, addressing aspects of gender and generational equity.

The NTA, however, has limitations in capturing unpaid work falling outside production boundaries. To address this, the study introduced NTTA for valuing unpaid work and its methodology divides unpaid work into general household production, care work and learning activities.

Sami Saeed said the population demographics had changed and the related themes were ‘very important’ as Pakistan was a populous country and had a large youth bulge.

“So, any analysis that captures the inter-generational dynamics is very useful and also the computation of the unpaid work that women contribute is also very important,” he said.

The minister also highlighted the significance of the research work that had been done at the provincial level as “We have been struggling for many years to prepare provincial GDPs”.

He said the government would use these reports in the process of policy-making and development planning initiatives.
About the report regarding the gendered economy, the minister said these could make a valuable contribution to society in terms of family institutions and societal fabric and the economic well-being of the family and the country. “The report does well to confirm some of the generally known truths about the various aspects of this issue.”

He said it was a known fact that the burden of household responsibility fell equally on women and that had implications for women’s participation in the labour market and overall economic development of the country.
“The report also confirms the generally known fact that there is a correlation between the division of unpaid work and economic status of the households,” he added.
The minister said the provincial variations in these situations were also very helpful in addressing the issues of regional disparities, allocation of resources, youth and general specific policies.
“I feel that these reports are very useful and in due course of time, we will take advantage of the research that has been done,” the minister remarked.

NPO to organize workshop on Productivity Specialist

By
Iqra Yousaf Iqra Yousaf
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0
ISLAMABAD, Dec 14 (APP):The National Productivity Organization (NPO) is going to organize a three-day training program for “Productivity Specialists” from December 20, to introduce the latest techniques to improve efficiency and raise productivity.
The objective of the workshop includes introducing the standards and requirements for APO certified Productivity Specialists based on Asian Productivity Organization APO-PS 101 Requirements for Productivity Specialists, discussing the knowledge of productivity improvement strategies at the firm and organizational level, and demonstrating the competencies needed by participants to act as productivity consultants, trainers, promoters and researchers, said an NPO document issued here.
The event highlights an introduction to APO PS-101, the role and requirement for productivity specialists, lean Six Sigma enterprises and manufacturing excellence.
The workshop has been designed for government officials, production, inventory, supply chain, store, material managers, representatives of industrial associations, academia, professionals involved in conducting training, consultancy, research, or promotional activities

Decline in dengue cases noted as temperature drops

By
AHMD Raja
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dengue
LAHORE, Dec 14 (APP):The Health Department Punjab said in its report that the number of dengue cases was lowering with the decrease in temperatures. However, a total of 33 new cases were recorded on Thursday, bringing the year’s confirmed cases to 14,964 across the province.
Lahore remains at the forefront of the battle against dengue, reporting 6,895 cases, followed closely by Rawalpindi 2,654, Gujranwala 1,578, Multan 1,439, and Faisalabad 903. Lahore saw an additional 12 cases, Rawalpindi 3, Gujranwala 3, Multan 4, Faisalabad 4, and Khanewal 2 new cases in the latest update. Hafizabad and Rajanpur reported one case each in the last 24 hours.
Currently, 26 dengue patients are receiving treatment in various Punjab hospitals, with 12 of them in Lahore district hospitals. Punjab Health Secretary Ali Jan Khan issued a plea to citizens urging them to maintain clean and dry surroundings to prevent dengue. He emphasised cooperation with the Health Department teams actively working to combat the outbreak.
For those seeking dengue treatment, information, or wishing to register complaints, a free helpline, 1033, has been provided by the department.

Eight persons burnt in gas leakage explosion in Nowshera: Police

By
AHMD Raja
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PESHAWAR, Dec 14 (APP):At least eight persons were burnt due to a gas leakage explosion in Nowshera district.
Police said the incident occurred at the ASC colony at Badrashi where members of a family gathered for breakfast and sustained burnt wounds.
The injured were shifted to Qazi Hussain Ahmed Hospital Nowshera for treatment.
Police said the injured included three children whose identities could not be immediately ascertained.

ANF seizes over 74 kg drugs, 1830 intoxicated tablets

By
Iqra Yousaf Iqra Yousaf
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Drugs
RAWALPINDI, Dec 14 (APP): Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) while conducting 14 operations across the country managed to recover 74 kg drugs and 1830 intoxicated tablets besides netting eight accused, said an ANF Headquarters spokesman here on Thursday.
He informed that 110.4 kg opium and 403.2 kg hashish were recovered from a vehicle intercepted near Aminpur Interchange, Faisalabad.
In another operation, 130 kg hashish was recovered from Peshukan area of Gwadar.
ANF conducted a raid on Shikarpur Road Sukkur and seized 110 kg hashish while over 100 kg hashish was recovered from an uninhabited area of Chaman.
The spokesman informed that 84 kg opium was recovered from an uninhabited area of Nokundi Chagai.
Similarly, 51.4 kg hashish was recovered from Bajaur area.
ANF conducted a raid and managed to recover 14.4 kg opium and 28.8 kg hashish from a vehicle intercepted near Warsak Road Peshawar. An accused was also arrested during the operation.
24 kg hashish was recovered from a nullah near Kuchlak Bypass Quetta.
10 kg Ice was recovered from a parcel being sent to Japan at a courier office located on Shahrah-e-Faisal, Karachi.
3.6 kg hashish was recovered from the possession of three accused rounded up in Zakhakhel Khyber area.
900 grams Ice drug was recovered from a passenger’s trolley bag at Bacha Khan International Airport. The accused was leaving for Doha by flight number QR-601.
2.4 kg of opium was recovered from a vehicle intercepted at Labor Colony Peshawar while two accused were netted during the operation.
ANF in a raid conducted at a courier office in Johar Town Lahore recovered 640 grams Ice from a parcel being sent to Qatar.
1830 intoxicated tablets were recovered from a parcel at Pak-Afghan border, Chaman.
Separate cases under the Anti-Narcotics Act have been registered against the arrested accused while further investigations are under process.

Squash League inaugurated under PMYP

By
AHMD Raja
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0
Squash
ISLAMABAD, Dec 14 (APP):The inauguration ceremony of the National Squash League (Men and Women) was held yesterday under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) at Air University Islamabad.
Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Training) Air Marshal Zulfiqar Ahmed Qureshi was the chief guest.
While, famous squash players, Mr Qamar Zaman and Ms Sadia Gul, Member (IT) Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Jamil Ahmad and Vice Chancellor Air University Air Marshal Javaid Ahmed (Retd) also attended the ceremony.
Men and women squash teams, who have already won at a provincial level, also participated in the event.
Meanwhile, HEC athletes also shined in the National Athletics Championship.
Athletes won five gold, four silver and nine bronze medals in Men’s games, while 13 gold, seven silver and nine bronze won in women’s games during the Junior Athletics Championship held at Artillery Regimental Centre, Attock.
Similarly, in the senior category’s 51st Athletics Championship, the women’s team secured 2nd position with 5 gold, 11 silver and 5 bronze while the men’s team won 3rd position with 2 gold, 2 silver and 6 bronze.
It is worth mentioning here that Athletes, who have won medals, are eligible for one-year scholarships and prize money.

Spurious fertilizer bags recovered

By
Iqra Yousaf Iqra Yousaf
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0
SARGODHA, Dec 14 (APP): In line with special directives of District Administration, Assistant Director Agriculture Piplan, Abdul Rasheed on Thursday launched a massive crackdown against illegal hoarders of fertilizers and artificial shortage creators.
Assistant Director along with raiding team raided at Harnoli area and recovered 75 bags of spurious fertilizer from a private godown.
The agriculture official said on the occasion that crackdown against fertilizer hoarders would continue on daily basis.

PFA discards 3600 kg unhygienic meat:

By
AHMD Raja
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0
unhygienic meat
SARGODHA, Dec 14 (APP):Punjab Food Authority (PFA) discarded 3600 kilograms unhygienic meat during a operation against illegal slaughterhouses and butchers on Thursday.
According to PFA press release issued, a team of PFA along with the officials of police and livestock department raided at a illegal slaughterhouse located at Chak Dhori and found 3600 kg unhygienic meat.
The meat was to be supplied to Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The team discarded the meat and got registered FIR against the butcher and slaughter house owner.
The PFA officials said that all possible efforts were being made to ensure the availability of good quality food items to the masses across the division.
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