Benazir Nashonuma program would be expanded to numerous districts: Shazia Marri

ISLAMABAD, Jan 31 (SABAH): Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety (PA&SS) and Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Shazia Marri Tuesday said the outreach of the Benazir Nashonuma Program will be expanded in more districts.

In a meeting with the Ambassador of the Netherlands in Pakistan, Henny de Vries, the federal minister apprised the ambassador about the BISP success.

Shazia Marri told her about the intended initiative of BISP wherein 364 Nashonuma centers would be opened in 119 districts across the country.

Under the initiative, the pregnant women registered with BISP would be provided facilities of nutrition-rich food supplements, quarterly medical checkups, cash assistance and health guidance, the minister said.

She said BISP was aimed at forging financial resilience in women adding that women were facing numerous challenges all over the world and Pakistan was no exception.

Marri said that economic independence was one of the most desired wishes of any woman which was why the BISP had identified women as head of family and primary beneficiary of the program. She appreciated the support of the Netherlands during difficult times, especially during the recent flood.

Shazia Marri informed them that recently BISP formally included marginalized segment of our society i.e. transgender community into its program. Now they were eligible for Rs 7000 quarterly cash assistance.

She said that BISP, after complaints, has introduced a new method of cash disbursement through individual bank accounts. The federal minister said that Pakistan’s people were grateful to the help extended to them by the Netherlands during the Geneva Conference.

She hoped that the two countries would further strengthen ties in paradigms of trade and economy.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Fasial Karim Kundi was also present in the meeting. He said that BISP was striving to provide assistance to all marginalized segments of our society be it women or transgenders.

Kundi informed the delegation that BISP’s cash disbursement mechanism was digitized, transparent and constant efforts are being made to make it more user-friendly and modern.

He further informed that the BISP was also initiating dynamic registry survey soon to assess the socio-economic status of households on a real time basis.