ADB approves additional $200mn for Benazir Income Support Programme

Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday approved a $200 million loan to the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), according to a press release issued by the Maila-based lending agency.

The amount is additional financing issued by the bank for the social development project which supports more than 5 million eligible families across the country through over $3.6 billion in total cash transfers so far.

The management of the development bank has said that it will continue to support cash transfers as well as help BISP implement institutional strengthening measures.

"Social protection programs like the BISP are crucial to ensure that the poorest segments of the population do not go further into poverty," said the ADB Director of Public Management Tariq Niazi.

He added that the ADB was committed to helping the Pakistani government "implement alternative modalities for social protection and poverty reduction

The ADB official noted that these initiatives included asset transfer programmes that promote improved human capital and reduce inter-generational poverty.

According to the press release, ADB Country Director for Pakistan Xiaohong Yang also weighed in on the loan, saying that the additional financing would support further institutional strengthening

"A policy research unit will also be established within BISP to help monitor and improve the performance of ongoing programmes and design new cost-effective and evidence-based initiatives."

"These include programmes such as poverty graduation programs and conditional cash transfers for health and nutrition in line with global best practices," he added.