124,000 BISP beneficiaries appear to be fraud

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Finance was informed on Wednesday that Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) blocked 124,000 beneficiaries on suspicions of committing alleged fraud and inquiries against them were underway to ascertain facts.

The Senate Standing Committee on Finance held its meeting under chairmanship of Senator Saleem Mandviwalla here on Wednesday in which the senators Fateh Mohammad Hassni and Illayus Bilour repeatedly raised questions about ghost beneficiaries getting installments from the major social protection entity of the country, the BISP high-ups relied that their organization evolved with passage of time where frauds had gradually reduced. “Now we are going to put in place biometric verification for getting installment from BISP amount,” they added.

Regarding administrative cost of BISP, the Senate panel was told that the administrative cost slashed down with the passage of time as it stood at 6 percent few years ago which was now brought down at 2 percent.

But the Chairman of the Committee Saleem Mandviwalla pointed out that the overall allocated amount went up manifold that helped reduce their administrative cost. The committee was informed by BISP high-ups that the allocated amount increased from Rs32 billion to Rs102 billion in last few years while number of beneficiaries also went up from 2.4 million to 5.4 million right now, helping them to bring down the administrative cost.

The government had allocated Rs 115 billion for BISP in the current fiscal year including Rs 97 billion earmarked through GoP and Rs 18 billion estimated from donors.

In first eight months from July to Feb 2017, the total released amount stood at Rs7.5 billion including Rs 48.5 billion from GoP and Rs 9 billion from donors including ADB, WB and UK based DFID.

The expenditures incurred so far stood at Rs 51.870 billion in first eight months of the current fiscal year. On account of unconditional cash transfer, the released amount stood at Rs 49.291 billion, Waseela-e-Taleem Rs 533.15 so total disbursements was Rs 49.824 billion.

  On account of service charges, the BISP has paid Rs 496.822 million, payment to government department for services rendered Rs 200.7 million and consultancy based research & survey Rs 64.274 million.

Total administrative expenses of BISP utilized Rs 1.192 billion so far in the current fiscal year out of which employees related expenses stood at Rs 1.088 billion, occupancy cost Rs 70.642 million, expenditure on acquiring of physical assets Rs 7.056 million and operating cost Rs 26.643 million.

The total number of working strength is 2,300 against available post of 4,000 out of which 421 officers are working in all over the country at different offices of the BISP. 

Since inception of BISP during 2008-9 to 2016-17 (till Feb 28, 2017), total funding for this programme stood at Rs504.03 billion as total disbursed funding in 2008-9 was Rs 15 billion, Rs 39 billion in 2009-10, Rs 34 billion in 2010-11, Rs 49 billion in 2011-12, Rs 50 billion in 2012-13, Rs 69.62 billion in 2013-14, Rs 91.65 billion in 2014-15, Rs 101.998 billion in 2015-16 and Rs 51.87 billion in first eight months of 2016-17.