BISP starts payment to 52 trainers after NAB clearance

By our correspondents

January 23, 2017

Waseela-e-Rozgar scheme

ABBOTTABAD: The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has finally started the payment process to over 52 service providers and trainers of Waseela-e-Rozgar scheme after clearance from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Sources in the BISP headquarters told The News that the case of 52 service providers had been pending for three years to get nod from the NAB.The Waseela-e-Rozgar scheme of the BISP was launched in September 2011 was aimed at imparting vocational training to 70,000 beneficiaries. Some 57,817 beneficiaries have been trained under the scheme.

The overall estimated financial liability against the Waseela-e-Rozgar scheme for the training cost of 52 training providers includes training cost, examination fee & provision of tool kits and beneficiaries stipend, which is Rs808 million.

The payment has remained pending after closure of the programmee soon after end of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) previous government.This includes Rs477 million outstanding payments to service providers, Rs236 million as stipend to beneficiaries and Rs95 million as examination fee and provision of tool kits to the trainees.

The Waseela-e-Rozgar Vocational and Technical Training scheme is part of the BISP started by the PPP-led government in memory of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.The payment process has reportedly started after the NAB clearance. It has been learnt that NAB in its letter No. R-501226/12/IW-1/inq/040714/2(366) dated September 2, 2016 clearly stated that no investigation has been pending against the BISP’s Waseela-e-Rozgar scheme.

Earlier, the BISP authorities were reluctant to make outstanding payments to the training providers, claiming that an investigation has been going on against the said scheme.Director BISP Asif Munir who has been looking after the affairs of Waseela-e-Rozgar scheme when contacted about the latest development has confirmed that process has been initiated for the clearance of outstanding liabilities.