PM to unveil ‘Kafalat’ program: Sania Nishtar

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Sania Nishtar said Monday Prime Minister Imran Khan would launch ‘Kafalat’ Program under which Rs2000 per month stipend would be paid to registered women through a digital payment system based on transparent mechanism.

Addressing a press-conference here after inaugurating biometric system for Benazir Income Support Program (BISP)’s beneficiaries at Bank Al-Falah, Dr.Sania Nishtar announced that Prime Minister would inaugurate the ambitious Kafalat Program on January 31 for socio-economic empowerment of the poor women.

She said procurement process of this system has been completed in last 10 months after hectic works, adding the stipend to beneficiaries would be provided through branches of the Habib Bank and Bank Al-Falah.

She said beneficiaries would be given payment through ATMs under a transparent mechanism and number of such points was being increased so that they could get stipend amount in a dignified way.

Dr Sania said this program would be launched in phase manner, adding in the first phase Kafalat Program is being launched in Lakki Marwat, Haripur, Charsadda and Mohmand districts. She said focus would be made on all provinces including merged areas.

She said Prime Minister is earnestly desiring to improve the socio-economic lot of the downtrodden segment of the society by starting multi dimensional Ehsaas program.

She said poverty ratio in merged areas was comparatively higher than provinces and a comprehensive poverty survey would be launched soon.

Dr Sania Nishtar said names of 820,165 undeserving beneficiaries were removed from the list of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

Out of the total 820,165 beneficiaries that were struck off from the BISP database, she said 1,40,000 were government employees, including employees of railways, post office and BISP.

She said lists of all such Govt employees were sent to Federal and Provincial Governments for initiation of disciplinary proceedings against them. Dr Sania said four officers of BISP were dismissed and two were issued show-cause notices. Dr Sania Nishtar said ‘Langar Khana’ was being established at general bus stand in Peshawar after provision of land for it by the Government to facilitate poor people and passengers.

Ajmal Wazir, Spokesperson of KP Government said people of KP including merged areas would be largely benefited from the PM’s Ehsaas program. He said Sehat Insaf Cards are being provided to people of merged areas to provide quality treatment to poor patients under PM’s vision for quality health services for all.

In line with vision of Prime Minister, he said, shelter homes were established in Peshawar and other districts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa where free food, accommodations and transport services are being provided to poor people. He said that we simplified the system for registration of the applicants under BISP in order to provide financial assistance in dignified manner.