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Thursday March 28, 2024

WB president visits BISP headquarters

By APP
November 02, 2019

ISLAMABAD: World Bank Group President David Malpass, along with his delegation visited the headquarter of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) here on Friday.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation / BISP Chairperson BISP Dr Sania Nishtar welcomed the World Bank delegation comprising two regional vice presidents and other high ranking officials, and briefed them on the importance attached by the government to the uplift of the marginalised segments of the society and the positive contribution Ehsaas was making to address poverty and inequality in Pakistan, according to a press release.

The BISP chairperson informed the delegation about the multi-sectoral Ehsaas Programme and stated that despite limited fiscal space, social protection had been placed high on the government’s agenda and significantly increased resources had been allocated for social protection. She said fragmented social protection programmes were being integrated at one platform to avoid duplication.

Dr Sania also informed Malpass about on the new payment model of Kifalat Programme, which would promote financial inclusion of women through “one woman, one bank account”. During the briefing, Malpass was also apprised on the governance reforms undertaken at the BISP to bring transparency and efficiency in its operations.

Dr Sania also described the mother and child health and nutrition initiative of BISP, recently approved by the BISP board. The intervention would be piloted in eight districts during the current fiscal year, she added.

Malpass expressed keen interest in the initiative and appreciated that the Government of Pakistan was taking steps to address the stunting and wasting problems of the poorest section of the society.

David Malpass also had an interactive session with the BISP beneficiaries who, as a part of BISP’s collaboration efforts with the private sector, had improved their livelihood potential and had started their small businesses. He heard the stories of the beneficiaries and asked them questions about the use they made of the cash transfers from the government and the ways in which they embarked on the journey of self-reliance. He noted with great interest that the poor women spend their quarterly stipend primarily on food and education needs of their children. He also asked the beneficiaries about their access to banking services and whether they used their stipends for savings or to meet their immediate expenditure needs.

Dr Sania explained that under Ehsaas, one of the main themes was to encourage collaboration with the private sector and to create synergies in the public and private efforts to bring people out of the vicious cycle of poverty. Those beneficiaries, she said, were from among those who were identified by BISP and then helped by the private sector partners to establish their small businesses.

David Malpass was briefed that education CCT (Co-responsibility Cash Transfer) Programme was successfully operational in 50 districts across the country and BISP was operationally ready to upscale it in 50 others. He was apprised that educational stipend for girls had been enhanced to Rs1,000, which was paid on a quarterly basis.

Dr Sania appreciated the partnership between the BISP and the World Bank, and expressed the hope that the World Bank’s technical assistance would help the Ehsaas Programme to further improve the quality of its social protection operations.